Cowboys offseason countdown: 99 facts until the regular season (Day 17)

We are at day 17 of our 99 day countdown until the regular season. Here is your daily fact associated with number 17.

How can we get to number 17 and not talk about last season’s surprise star kicker, Brandon Aubrey.

Dallas Cowboys v Los Angeles Rams

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Brandon Aubrey was born March 14, 1995 and had an unorthodox journey getting to the NFL. Before he got to Dallas, Aubrey was drafted by Toronto FC in Major League Soccer and played for the club’s reserve team before moving to Bethlehem Steel FC, playing as a defensive wing-back.

Aubrey subsequently transitioned to a different sport, dedicating two seasons to the Birmingham Stallions, where he consistently performed as a reliable kicker for the two-time USFL champions. During the 2023 season, he emerged as one of the most accurate kickers in the USFL, contributing significantly to the Stallions’ achievement of their second consecutive league title. He successfully converted 14 out of 15 field goal attempts throughout the season and completed every extra point attempt during that period.

His kicking accuracy was brought to the attention of Cowboys scouts and he was brought to the team’s training camp and a position battle between him and Tristan Vizcaino began for the starting kicker job. When the final 53-man roster announcement was made, Aubrey was the team’s kicker and he would start Week 1.

Dallas Cowboys v New York Giants

Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

In his debut NFL game, Aubrey successfully converted both of his field goal attempts, achieving a maximum distance of 38 yards, and completed four out of five extra-point attempts. During a matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, he established an NFL record for the most consecutive field goals to start a career with his 19th attempt. Subsequently, in Week 14, also against the Eagles, Aubrey made history as the first kicker in the NFL to successfully execute two field goals from distances of 59 yards or more in a single game (59 and 60 yards).

Throughout the season, he missed only two field goals, leading the league with an impressive field goal accuracy of 94.7%. Additionally, his total of 157 points for the season marks the highest in the franchise’s history.

In his first year playing in the NFL, Aubrey was announced to the Pro Bowl and received All-Pro honors.

2024 NFL Pro Bowl Games

Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images


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