Gumbo
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- Mar 19, 2019
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British soccer star Harry Kane has said he’d eventually like to kick in the NFL. A Hall of Fame kicker has essentially told Kane to kick rocks.
Via the Evening Standard, Morten Andersen has dismissed Kane’s aspirations.
“For Harry Kane to become an NFL kicker, it’s not going to happen,” Andersen said. “Not to burst the bubble, as I would love to work with him. If I could have him for a month to train him to see how it goes. You need to be successful on 80 percent of your kicks in the NFL, and it’s not easy. If Harry’s not going to make eight out of 10 kicks, it’s not going to happen. There’s a large number of guys hoping to make it as an NFL kicker.”
It’s one thing to make eight of 10 kicks on an empty field; it’s another to do it in a game — especially when the target of the kick isn’t even in place as the kicker begins his approach.
“[Y]ou’re facing 11 guys across the line of scrimmage,” Andersen said. “They’re going to snort, spit and call him names to try and stop him. You have to deliver from snap to kick in [1.2 to 1.5 seconds] through a target that is 16 feet, 8 inches, and 10 feet above the crowd. Not forgetting the millions [editor’s note: thousands] of people watching in the stands. Doesn’t it sound a bit ridiculous?”
Sure, but 32 guys at any given time during a football season have those jobs. Possessing a strong leg is a given. Accuracy becomes critical. The ability to deliver consistently and under pressure is a must.
And, yes, supply outweighs demand. So it’s not something a guy in his mid-30s or older can choose to take up on a lark in the hopes of performing better than guys in their early 20s who have been focused on the unique requirements of the job for years.
Via the Evening Standard, Morten Andersen has dismissed Kane’s aspirations.
“For Harry Kane to become an NFL kicker, it’s not going to happen,” Andersen said. “Not to burst the bubble, as I would love to work with him. If I could have him for a month to train him to see how it goes. You need to be successful on 80 percent of your kicks in the NFL, and it’s not easy. If Harry’s not going to make eight out of 10 kicks, it’s not going to happen. There’s a large number of guys hoping to make it as an NFL kicker.”
It’s one thing to make eight of 10 kicks on an empty field; it’s another to do it in a game — especially when the target of the kick isn’t even in place as the kicker begins his approach.
“[Y]ou’re facing 11 guys across the line of scrimmage,” Andersen said. “They’re going to snort, spit and call him names to try and stop him. You have to deliver from snap to kick in [1.2 to 1.5 seconds] through a target that is 16 feet, 8 inches, and 10 feet above the crowd. Not forgetting the millions [editor’s note: thousands] of people watching in the stands. Doesn’t it sound a bit ridiculous?”
Sure, but 32 guys at any given time during a football season have those jobs. Possessing a strong leg is a given. Accuracy becomes critical. The ability to deliver consistently and under pressure is a must.
And, yes, supply outweighs demand. So it’s not something a guy in his mid-30s or older can choose to take up on a lark in the hopes of performing better than guys in their early 20s who have been focused on the unique requirements of the job for years.