Latest news with #kicker
Fox News
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Meet Lenny Krieg, a German Native Competing for the Falcons' Kicking Job
Lenny Krieg's strong leg could take him all the way from Germany to the NFL. A former soccer player, Krieg took up football in 2021 during COVID at the suggestion of his older brother, a former football player and current coach in Germany. He watched tutorials on social media to hone his technique and, after playing three seasons in his home country, the 22-year-old Berlin native was picked for the NFL's International Pathway Program. As part of that initiative, which aims to give elite athletes around the world a chance to make NFL rosters, Krieg participated in the Scouting Combine showcase in February. He went 14-for-14 in Indianapolis, kicking from 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and 55 yards. That led to another solid performance at a pro day in South Florida and, in March, Krieg was signed by the Atlanta Falcons. He enters training camp with the opportunity to compete for the starting kicker job against NFL veteran Younghoe Koo. It may sound like a fairy tale, but it's not so farfetched when you consider that Krieg has made a 73-yard kick in practice. Krieg was one of several young specialists who recently participated in former NFL kicker Nick Novak's annual pro week in San Diego. After nine seasons in the NFL, Novak is now a high school coach, a kicking consultant and a mentor to developmental players. "I've watched Nick's social videos for a long time and it's almost like a dream coming true, a full-circle moment for me to be here with these guys," Krieg told me at the camp. "It's beneficial for me to integrate some of the things I've learned here into my process, figure out what works for me and what doesn't. So it's really valuable." Krieg has a legitimate shot to win the starting job over Koo, who is scheduled to make $4.25 million in 2025, making him the fourth-highest-paid kicker in the league. Koo, who turns 31 in August, made just 73.5% of his field-goal attempts last season, his lowest percentage since his rookie season with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017, when he made just 50% and lost the job after four games. In Week 10 last season, Koo missed three kicks in a 20-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints. He dealt with a hip injury for much of the season, which eventually landed him on IR in Week 16. After the Falcons lost six of their last eight games and missed the playoffs, however, coach Raheem Morris cited kicking as one of the issues. "We missed entirely too many kicks this year," Morris said in January. "The brutal honest truth — that can't happen. So, we got to find ways to make those kicks. That certainly plays into the part of not winning the amount of games you want to win. We got to find ways to create that competition across the board for all of us." The Falcons created that competition by signing Krieg to a three-year deal, which shows that Atlanta is invested in him. Koo is reportedly healthy now, so this could be one of the more interesting camp battles to watch. "There's 32 jobs in the league, and my job is to just perform to my level and improve every day," Krieg said when asked how he'll handle the competition with Koo. "And whatever happens, happens. I try to control what I can control, and whatever is out of my control is just something that's going to happen." What just might be in Krieg's control is that a talented but raw prospect from Berlin, who learned to kick an American football on YouTube, could soon be a starting kicker in the NFL. Photo courtesy of Nicole Noel Photography. Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Ravens mailbag, part 2: Kicker situation, defensive depth, starting battle at ILB?
Baltimore Ravens rookies are already back at the team facility. They'll be joined by veterans early next week. The first full-squad practice of training camp is set for Wednesday. There's a lot to talk about, and you certainly had plenty of questions. So I made this a two-part mailbag. Part 1, which ran Thursday, essentially focused on any questions concerning the coaching staff and the offense. Part 2 touches on the defense and a little of everything else. Note: Questions have been lightly edited for length and clarity. Advertisement If the Ravens don't have a reliable top-half-of-the-NFL kicker, how much will it hurt their regular-season record and/or playoff aspirations? — Drew L. It will certainly impact them. The margin of victory in the NFL is so thin, and missing kicks is a good way to finish on the wrong end of close games. But the Ravens deserve the benefit of the doubt here. Senior special teams assistant Randy Brown is one of the best kicking coaches in the league. John Harbaugh has a special teams background. If they aren't confident that one of the rookies, Tyler Loop or John Hoyland, will make enough kicks, they'll find somebody who can. If the Ravens are struggling at kicker through Week 11, would they consider a Justin Tucker reunion? If not the Ravens, will Tucker ever kick for another team, be it this year or next? — Travis B. By maintaining that cutting Tucker was a football decision, the Ravens kept the door open for a reunion. Still, they'd have to be in a pretty tough spot to make that call. I might be in the minority here, but I believe Tucker will kick again in the NFL. All indications are that he wants to. That's the reason he accepted the league's 10-week ban, knowing the only chance he had to get back in the league was to get the suspension behind him. It will take three things. One, he'll have to kick well in a workout and show his issues last year were a blip. Two, he'll need a legitimate playoff contender to have a major issue at kicker in the second half of the season. And three, he'd probably need to go to a team with a stable and well-respected general manager and head coach who could handle the criticism they'd likely get for bringing him in. An underrated concern for the Ravens is run defense. With Michael Pierce's retirement and John Jenkins coming in, it feels largely the same, if not a slight downgrade. What will it take for the run defense to be a strength all year? — Brad K. Because of Lamar Jackson's two turnovers and Mark Andrews' issues, it's sort of been ignored that the Ravens allowed 147 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in that season-ending loss in Buffalo. The Bills handled Baltimore's defense up front. Still, it would be tough to say the Ravens' run defense wasn't a strength all year. It finished first in the NFL last season, allowing just 80.1 yards per game. Advertisement Obviously, as you mentioned, teams had so much success passing against Baltimore early that they didn't need to run. But the Ravens played 19 games last year, and they allowed more than 85 yards rushing in just six of them. That's impressive. Pushing things forward, you almost have to accept that you're going to give up some runs when you go smaller and don't play a whole lot of base defense. You sacrifice a little with your run defense to impact opposing quarterbacks and play the pass more. With all the talented quarterbacks on the Ravens' schedule this year, teams will be doing them a favor if they try to run a lot. While the Ravens have some incredible flexibility with their outside linebacker talent, inside linebacker looks less locked in. Two questions: What chance does Teddye Buchanan have to unseat Trenton Simpson and start alongside Roquan Smith? And which of the rookie free agents do you think have a shot at making the roster? — Richard H. It does seem less settled, with the starter alongside Smith and with depth. Malik Harrison played 33 percent of Baltimore's defensive snaps last year (albeit some of them on the outside), and Chris Board played 15 percent of them, so there are snaps to fill after both departed. I'm just not sure it's a big issue because I fully expect the Ravens to load the field with defensive backs. I don't think they'll need to have two inside linebackers on the field regularly. Buchanan has a puncher's chance to beat out Simpson. He'll have to grow up fast, learn the defense and build rapport with Smith. But he has the athletic profile to make the jump. Simpson has a decent hold on the job heading into camp, but it's hardly ironclad. Iowa inside linebacker Jay Higgins is probably the undrafted rookie to watch. He lacks ideal NFL size and speed, but he was an extremely productive college player, leading the nation in tackles in 2023 and registering 124 tackles, four interceptions and two forced fumbles last year. Jadeveon Clowney and Za'Darius Smith are still free agents. Do you see Baltimore signing either of them before or during camp? — Paul M. The Ravens like their young edge rushers and believe they need to play to appropriately develop. I don't think they want to reduce the snaps of Kyle Van Noy, Odafe Oweh and Tavius Robinson any more than the presence of Mike Green and a healthy Adisa Isaac already could. You can never have enough pass rushers, but adding Clowney or Za'Darius Smith would impact what production you get from the guys you already have. You can only play so many guys. I'd include an asterisk next to my answer and wouldn't rule it out because I could see a scenario in which the Ravens use the first few weeks of training camp to evaluate the young edge rushers. If they don't think they're ready to make an impact, they could turn to Clowney or Smith. Advertisement It's been felt for years that some percentage of Baltimore's late-season 'unluckiness' has been because of weather extremes in January, creating poor footing for Lamar's typical dynamism. It may be a sensitive subject in-house, but do you think the Ravens can build a team in July/August that can be successful in January/February just by 'doing what got us here'? — Kyle M. Yes. I don't think their style of play has held them back in January, if that's what you're referencing. If anything, some of their postseason issues have come from losing their identity come January and getting away from what made them so successful in the regular season. Stop turning the ball over. Stop panicking when you fall behind. Stop making ill-timed mistakes. They have all the elements to make a playoff run, but they need to play and coach better when the time comes. As awesome as the defensive starting 11 should be, is there any concern about depth? The young backup safeties haven't played NFL snaps, the D-line rotation seems less packed than in years past, and a lot of new/inexperienced players joined the linebacker room. — Paul B. Depth is always a concern. However, with the way the salary cap is, you can only do so much. There's not a team in the NFL that doesn't have depth concerns at certain positions. There are certain spots where the contingency plan is going to be unproven, with young players stepping in, and you have to live with that. I'd sign a veteran safety, but the depth issues at that spot are somewhat mitigated by how many corners are capable of playing safety. Along the D-line, they've essentially replaced Pierce and Brent Urban with Jenkins and Aeneas Peebles. You have outside guys, such as Robinson, who can move inside, too. Your concern is legitimate, but it's also shared by 31 other teams. Is there full confidence in Zach Orr to be good enough to lead this defense? I know they finished strong last year and assistant coaches have been raving about him, but this defense has too much talent not to be historically elite, and it would be unfortunate if what held them back was the coaching and schemes. — Vamis S. Yes, there's full confidence in Orr. They knew that, like any young coordinator, he'd have his growing pains. But they believe in him as a coach and leader and think there's a ton of upside there. I think you're getting a little carried away with the 'historically elite' label, but I'm going to keep it moving to get to more questions. What is the most difficult aspect of covering an NFL team? Would your experience be materially different if you covered a different team within the NFL? — Justin B. It's tough to adequately and thoroughly answer this question in this format. In general, the most difficult aspect is that most teams and many players don't see any value in opening the curtain and giving reporters an inside glimpse at how they do things. A shroud of secrecy exists in most NFL buildings, and it's tough to crack that force field. I'm not talking about finding out about trade talks, contract negotiations and injury updates, but that's obviously part of it. I'm more talking about things like what's behind certain game plans, player evaluations, scouting, training methods, offensive and defensive calls, workout plans, etc. Don't get me wrong. I know exactly why teams don't want that information out there. It's an incredibly competitive league, and why would you want to broadcast the way you do things to 31 other teams? However, the secrecy at times makes it difficult for a reporter to get a good grasp of the hows and whys inside an NFL building. The Ravens are one of the more closed-off teams when it comes to certain topics. The other thing I'd say is there's more of a distrust of the media among players and team officials than there was when I started in this business many years ago. A good number of players don't necessarily see the value in having relationships with the media and certain reporters because they'd prefer using their social media platforms to say what they want. It's not a complaint or criticism; it's just reality. Advertisement The defense, on paper, looks stacked. What do you see as something that can prevent them from becoming a top unit in the NFL aside from injuries? Where is their weakness that offenses will try to exploit? — James P. With no Pierce and some uncertainty in the middle of the field, teams will likely test the Ravens with the run. They'll challenge Roquan Smith in the passing game and attack the middle of the field. They'll also make Nate Wiggins and Jaire Alexander tackle on the perimeter. Given that the Ravens have basically hit on every first-round pick since GM Eric DeCosta took over, is it inevitable that they won't be able to keep all their homegrown talent? Of the upcoming free agents over the next few seasons, who do you see not coming back? — Ramis C. Yes. We've seen over the years that they'll keep most of their homegrown standouts, but they've had to allow some to leave for cap purposes. That trend will likely continue. Assuming they pick up Zay Flowers' fifth-year option when the time comes, he would be under contract through 2027, so it's a bit early to ponder his future in Baltimore. I might be naive, but I don't see any scenario where they let Kyle Hamilton out of the building during the prime of his career. They think that highly of him. Because of age, they'll probably prioritize Isaiah Likely, 25, over Andrews, 29. They'll probably try to get Tyler Linderbaum done. I'd say if one or two of them walk, my guess would be Oweh and Andrews. Jeff, I'm concerned about your safety under the sun during training camp. Is there an address I can send some sunscreen to? — Keith E. Thanks for your concern, Keith, but I'll be good. I'm well stocked with SPF 8. (Top photo of Teddye Buchanan: Daniel Kucin Jr. / Imagn Images)
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
How Jake Bates went from soccer prodigy to brick salesman to rising star with the Lions
On the night before a Lions game, kicker Jake Bates is feeling twitchy. Of course he is. The first field goal he ever made at any level was last year. In 37 college games at Texas State and Arkansas, he made more tackles — two — than field goals — zero. In his high school career, Bates attempted two field goals and missed both. Advertisement Now he's thinking about kicking in a stadium in front of 70,000 fans, maybe with the game on the line. He knows what will make him calm. At the Lions hotel, he meets with the team clinician, who instructs him to close his eyes and walk through the hours leading up to the game so that when the time comes, it will be as if he has been there before. After dinner, he hits the ice cream bar, preparing a bowl so enormous that it's a topic of conversation among teammates. He loads up the bowl with brownies, broken-up Oreos, waffle cone pieces, caramel and whipped cream. 'Oh, man, it's the biggest bowl of ice cream I think I've ever seen,' says Lions punter Jack Fox, who is also Bates' holder. 'It's like a five-scoop bowl.' The thing is, Bates usually eats cleanly and abstains from sweets — except on the night before a game. To him, that bowl of ice cream is like a deep breath. In the morning, there are rituals. He arrives at the stadium and walks onto the field in street clothes. In the locker room, it must be sock on the right foot, shoe on the right foot, sock on the left foot, shoe on the left foot. Before he warms up, he sits on the field with his eyes closed. 'It's feeling the ground and almost trying to connect my mind to the turf,' he says. As he does it, he envisions what the game will be like. He loosens up, listening to music, soothing music, slower songs from Lauren Daigle, Larry Fleet and Needtobreathe. Back in the locker room, he avoids conversation. Everyone knows to leave him alone, like a baseball pitcher working on a no-no. The last thing Bates does before heading out to the field is read a Bible verse in which the apostle Paul exhorts the Hebrews to 'throw off everything that hinders.' As Bates prepares for the opening kickoff, he's not twitchy anymore. People everywhere are wondering what he's doing here. Jake Bates, though, has no doubt he's where he's supposed to be. Bates family lore tells a story about 18-month-old Jake. His brother, Cole, who was 18 months older, signed up to play on a YMCA soccer team. Jake had to have a uniform like Cole, and managed to take the field while the family was watching one of Cole's games. From then on, he was the team's goalie, making both saves and fans. Advertisement At 10, he began playing club soccer in Tomball, Texas. By then, he had the leg strength of someone who had been born on the planet Krypton. At a soccer camp at Texas A&M, the speed of the participants' kicks was measured with a radar gun. Bates, who was matched with older kids, had the fastest kick. As an 11-year-old, he became a starter on Cole's team of 13-year-olds. He began playing academy soccer at 14. He once hit a free kick from about 40 yards that defied physics' laws — rising over the wall, bending hard and going in upper 90. A video of it went viral. Eventually, he became the right center back for Texans SC. The left center back was Chris Richards, who now plays for Crystal Palace of the Premier League as well as the United States national team. Richards was taller, faster and more athletic, but Bates made plays, too. 'I would put him up against anybody as a center back, but that's from mother eyes,' his mom, Mariana, says. 'We've said all along he could be playing at that (Premier League) level with Chris. What he lacked in speed, he made up for in knowing angles.' The pair led their team to the national championship in 2017. On his soccer team at Tomball High, Bates earned all-district first-team honors and was voted offensive MVP of his team. He started as a freshman and sophomore at the University of Central Arkansas. Both years, his team lost in the Division I men's soccer championship game. He scored a goal on the road in the 82nd minute to beat Missouri State for the ASUN conference championship in 2018. Bates loved playing soccer. Until he didn't. 'He kind of burned out on it,' his mom says. It can happen when you've been consumed by something for 18 of your 20 years. Bates told himself playing somewhere else would relight the fire. Rutgers offered a spot; he said no. His dream was to play for SMU, and then they finally wanted him. But soccer just didn't feel right. Advertisement He walked away. Bates played football his senior year of high school and was the second-string kicker to a sophomore. The two kickers kept in touch, and after Bates was done with soccer, he practiced his field goal kicking with his friend for fun. Then he started thinking about ways he could kick in college. He sent highlight videos to every college coach he could. One responded, and he was given an opportunity at Texas State. His only job was kickoffs. Before his first game, he listened to agitating music that he thought would pump him up. One of the assistant coaches pounded his forehead into Bates' for motivation. Then Bates kicked his first kickoff as hard as he could — and 'duck hooked' it out of bounds. 'What I learned,' he says, 'is I have to do what I can to stay as calm as possible.' He remembered that lesson when he transferred to Arkansas, where his 64 touchbacks were third most in the country in 2022. The Razorbacks' field goal kicker was future Jacksonville Jaguar Cam Little, and he knew better than almost anyone about Bates' potential. Little convinced independent kicking coach Adam Tanalski to give Bates a spot at Hammer Kicking Academy, where Little and others trained in preparation for the draft. The first couple of days at the camp, Bates felt pressure to prove he belonged. He kicked like he didn't. 'I remember thinking I can't make a kick,' he says. 'It was shockingly bad. I walked away from some practices thinking I must be the worst kicker in the world.' After one awful practice, he called his father, Jonathan, and told him he was out of his league. Then he got on LinkedIn to look for a real-world job. Tanalski eventually helped settle and refine him, and Bates made it through nine weeks in the program. Bates wasn't drafted, but a few months later in training camp, Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn strained his quadriceps. The Texans needed a kicker to fill in for a preseason game, so they signed Bates, whom they knew was living close by and had been to the team's local pro day. Advertisement Against the Patriots, Bates attempted three extra points, missing one. He was released two days later when Fairbairn was ready to return. That's when he finally gave up on football. Bates points to the wall next to him and identifies a brick. He believes it's a 'utility' brick. It's red — one of about 50 shades of red brick, he says. He knows because he took a job selling bricks for Acme Brick in the fall of 2023. When he joined the company, he told his boss he was done kicking, and he meant it. This, he thought, would be his 'grown-up job.' Three weeks later, that changed. As the general manager of the UFL's Michigan Panthers, Steve Kazor doesn't have a budget to scout the country. But he looks for reasons to drive to nearby schools from his home in Texas. One weekend in the fall of 2022, he dropped off his wife, Colleen, at her sister's house in Arkansas. Then he drove to Arkansas to take in a practice. His eyes opened wide when a kicker hit the upright from his own 30-yard line on a kickoff. The school's pro liaison showed Kazor tape of the kicker hitting the upright three times on kickoffs. As Kazor prepared for the 2024 season, he and Panthers head coach Mike Nolan wanted to add a kickoff specialist. Kazor, who coached special teams in the NFL for 14 years, thought about the kicker he saw at Arkansas. Bates' agent, Marty Magid, showed Kazor more tape of Bates, and Kazor signed him, thinking he would be a kickoff specialist only, with another kicker handling field goals and extra points. In training camp, Bates' kickoffs were spectacular. And he also nailed field goal after field goal. The Panthers wouldn't need two kickers after all. Late in the season opener, Michigan trailed St. Louis 16-15. With three seconds to play, Bates attempted — and hit — a 64-yard field goal. But the opponent had called a timeout. Advertisement Then he hit it again. That 64-yard game-winner was the first field goal he made in his life. If it had happened in the NFL, at the time, it would have tied for the second-longest ever behind Justin Tucker's 66-yarder. Later that season, he also hit a 62-yard field goal and a 60-yarder in games. In practice, with the help of a friendly breeze, he made one from 75 yards. When the UFL season ended, teams contacted Magid to request tryouts. Magid refused. Bates didn't need to try out. The Chiefs, Colts, Ravens and Cardinals were interested. Then the Commanders, Lions and Packers made offers. Bates visited all three. The Lions offered one of the best contracts ever for a street free agent — two years, $1.98 million, with $150,000 guaranteed. And they offered more, including a championship-caliber roster, a culture that made him feel he belonged and a schedule that featured 15 of 17 games indoors. They seemed perfect for him — except for the presence of Michael Badgley, who had gone three-for-three on field goals in the previous postseason for Detroit, including nailing a 54-yard game-winner against the 49ers. Then Badgley tore his hamstring early in camp. Many assumed another kicker would be signed, but Lions special teams coach Dave Fipp believed fiercely in Bates and told anyone who would listen they needed to buy in on him. Head coach Dan Campbell trusted Fipp. That meant no training camp competition. There were skeptics, but being underestimated probably was beneficial for Bates. 'He's so determined to prove people wrong who didn't think he was good enough,' Fipp says. In training camp, however, Bates wasn't good enough. In one practice, he missed six of 14 attempts, including his last one, a 40-yarder that was supposed to lead to an overtime segment. After that practice, he called his then-fiancee, Presley Folkert, who became his wife in March. Advertisement 'I'm getting cut tomorrow,' he told her. 'There's no way they can keep me.' Instead of cutting Bates, Campbell told him he didn't need to be perfect. Fipp told him to focus on one kick and only one — the next. Teammates never sniped at him. That wouldn't have happened on some teams. Probably most teams. 'I had so many people telling me I would be OK, calm down, I'll figure it out,' he says. In the first preseason game, he kicked a 53-yard field goal in bad weather against the Giants. Bates started to think he could do this. Then a 30-yard field goal attempt went wide right. Before the miss, he told himself, 'Don't miss it, don't miss it, don't miss it.' Fipp encouraged positive thoughts. 'You never want to say, 'Don't miss,'' he told him. 'You want to say, 'Put it through the middle.'' The following week, Campbell held a 'fowling' tournament for his team. Fowling is a cross between football and bowling, in which participants try to knock over pins by throwing a football at them. That's when the Lions saw something in Bates they didn't realize was there — a shark. You don't always find it in players who are supposed to be hunters, but it clearly was there in the kicker. 'The bigger the throw, the more he was on,' Fipp says. 'You could see his focus and lock in.' Bates' team — he was with then-long snapper Scott Daly and assistant special teams coach Jett Modkins — advanced to the championship game before losing in sudden death. Afterward, Fipp pulled aside Campbell. 'Dude,' he said, 'there is something about this guy.' Campbell and Fipp were feeling good but thinking soberly. Their plan for Bates was to gradually build his confidence early in the season with easy kicks. His first field goal attempt in the season opener was a 25-yarder. Then, with 17 seconds remaining and the Lions trailing the Rams by three, they needed him to hit a 32-yarder. He delivered and the Lions won in overtime. Advertisement In his first four games, Bates wasn't asked to kick a field goal longer than 35 yards, and he didn't attempt a kick beyond 48 yards until his seventh game. He made his first 19 attempts, the second-longest streak to begin a career in NFL history. You know Campbell was tempted to see Bates boom. During a team practice period, Bates hit a 68-yard field goal. When he was kicking on the side, he nailed a 70-yarder. Then there was a two-minute drill, and Bates kicked a field goal of about 50 yards. Not only did he drill the ball through the uprights, but also he drilled it into the drywall behind the post, leaving a hole in the wall. 'It was repaired the next day, but there is probably still a mark,' Fox says. Fipp, a 17-year NFL veteran, says Bates has the most powerful leg he's ever seen. Fipp often stands behind Bates when he's kicking in practice. 'Every time I look at him getting ready to approach the ball, I see this huge quad hanging off the side of his leg,' he says. 'And I'm like, damn.' Bates' leg strength is so explosive that he can dunk a basketball. He says he is 6-feet-1, not 5-10 as he's listed, however. It's just another way he's underestimated. Bates says some of his leg strength is 'God's gift.' But he enhances the gift with an elaborate stretching routine that takes up an hour every night, year-round. His stretching also might have brought him more attention than any of his field goals, as cameras caught him looking somewhat sensual while trying to loosen a knot in his hip by rolling on a soft massage ball during a game in San Francisco. His routine became a meme, and a carpet company used a photo of him stretching on a billboard with the promise, 'CARPET LAID TOMORROW.' As the season went on, Bates also drew more attention for field goals. Against the Texans, he hit a 58-yarder to tie the game with five minutes left, and then a 52-yarder to win as time expired. It was one of three game-winners he kicked. JAKE. BATES. CALLED. GAME. #DETvsHOU | 📺 NBC — Detroit Lions (@Lions) November 11, 2024 He also set the team record for points scored in a season and led the league with 85 touchbacks. Everything is different heading into Year 2. Bates will be tested by higher expectations, devil winds and maybe missed kicks that can ruin victories and confidence. 'I expect he'll have ups and downs, but I also expect he'll continue to get better and better,' Fipp says. 'I think he's got a chance to be one of the best who ever played.' Advertisement Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000-hour rule says a skill isn't mastered before 10,000 hours of practice. Bates may be the only player in the league who hasn't reached 10,000 hours. He believes the experience he lacks is offset by the intensity of his preparation. 'I would put myself up against anybody, and I think I've worked harder,' he says. Campbell is convinced Bates will follow up a good year with a better one. 'Love Bates,' he says. 'He's wired the right way. He puts the work in. He's mentally strong. When a mistake was made, he kept it simple and corrected the cause of it. He didn't get lost in his own head.' So now we understand why he's here — the cannon leg, commitment like Thomas Edison, the tiger's eye, brilliant coaching and development, and the ability to achieve Zen. And there's more. After Bates' game-winning kick against the Texans, NBC wanted to interview him on the field. He had about 25 seconds, so he closed his eyes and prayed. When Melissa Stark asked him about going from bricks to kicks, he went blank. And then he spoke. 'It just shows how good the Lord is,' he said. 'He's so faithful. If anything, I hope people can see Jesus through my story. That's what I think I'm here to do — not make or miss or be a good kicker or bad kicker, but spread the love of Jesus.' After quitting soccer, Bates wanted to be a football player so desperately that he even tried punting. He signed up to be an equipment manager at Arkansas, hoping it could lead to a kicking tryout. It didn't. When Arkansas later gave him a chance to kick — but no scholarship — he and his family paid his way, gladly. For most of his life, Bates saw an athlete in the mirror. After the Texans released him and it appeared his days as an athlete were over, he wasn't sure what he saw. What struck Jake Bates, brick salesman, was that he had to be something more than what he did. Advertisement And now he is. 'I'm not just Jake Bates, football player,' he says. 'I love playing football and work really hard at it, but that doesn't define me, and it's not the most important thing in my life.' In his lowest moments, he surrendered, realizing his journey had to be directed by God's will, not his. Now he is convinced that this opportunity he has is divine. It takes so many things to kick the long field goals that are his specialty. Of course, it takes a powerful stroke. It takes a precise plant, just the right body lean, contact with the sweet spot of the foot and a graceful follow-through. And it takes something else — perspective. Now, before one of those attempts, Bates tells himself, 'Don't make it bigger than it needs to be.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Notre Dame Impact Players For 2025: No. 46 Noah Burnette
Notre Dame Impact Players For 2025: No. 46 Noah Burnette originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Notre Dame is now 46 days away from kicking off the 2025 season against the Hurricanes down in Hard Rock Stadium. The Irish will be relying on some impact players to get them through the home opener as well as getting them back to another run at the National Championship. I broke down who I believe will be the top 50 impactful players for Notre Dame this season. Let's continue this countdown to kickoff with my No. 46 most impactful player, North Carolina transfer kicker Noah Burnette. Advertisement Transfer kickers have become a staple of Notre Dame's special teams over the past couple of seasons. In 2023, they picked up transfer kicker Spencer Shrader who set a Notre Dame record for making two 50 plus yard field goals in the same game. South Carolina transfer Mitch Jeter drilled the game winner against Penn State in the Orange Bowl which sent the Irish onto the National Championship game. This year, it's Burnette's turn to cement his name in Fighting Irish lore. What He Brings To The Table Burnette is a a quality kicker who spent his first three seasons kicking for the Tar Heels. He was a mid-year transfer who spent the spring getting acclimated to special teams coach Marty Biagi and the Notre Dame special teams unit. Last season, he drilled 97.4% of his extra points going 38-39. His field goal kicking percentage took a hit in 2024 (71.4%) but was a 95% field goal kicker for North Carolina in 2023. Burnette had a rough kick in the jersey scrimmage and missed his first attempt in this years Blue Gold game, but the numbers don't lie, he's a pretty accurate kicker inside of 50 yards. Notre Dame struggled last season in the kicking game, in large part due to Jeter's midseason injury. The Irish finished the year ranked No. 128 in the country in field goal percentage (55.6) after missing 12 of their 27 field goal attempts throughout the season. Advertisement At North Carolina, Burnette kicked on some big stages including on the road against Florida State, Boston College (who Notre Dame will face on the road on November 1), at Minnesota, at Clemson and against Miami. It doesn't have quite the leg that Shrader has, and doesn't have the top level accuracy of a healthy Jeter, but his skillset should improve Notre Dame's kicking stats at the end of the season dramatically. What Is His Impact? Burnette's experience against upper level P4 opponents in the ACC gives him an advantage at Notre Dame. He's kicked against Pittsburgh, Miami, Boston College, Syracuse and NC State, all ACC opponents on Notre Dame's 2025 schedule. Outside of his on the field impact, Burnette will also have the opportunity to mentor incoming freshman kicker Erik Schmidt. The 6-2 Wisconsin native was the No. 1 rated kicker in the nation by 247Sports composite rankings. In high school, he specialized as a punter, but took on kickoff and place kicking duties his senior year. Schmidt will likely be Burnette's replacement in 2026 when he's out of eligibility, but he has a ways to go before he's ready to kick in big moments for the Irish. Burnette will have the opportunity to work with Schmidt for an entire season to help get him ready. Advertisement Players who have transferred to Notre Dame for their final year of eligibility have bought into the culture that Marcus Freeman is building and is leaving the program better than they found it. Burnette can make a significant impact on and off the field which is why I have him ranked as the No. 46 most impactful player for Notre Dame in 2025. Be sure to check out the Irish Breakdown message board, the Champions Lounge Irish Breakdown Content 2025 Depth Chart 2025 Football Schedule Notre Dame 2026 Scholarship Offers 2025 Commit Rankings - Offense 2025 Commit Rankings - Defense 2024 Recruiting Class 2023 Recruiting Class 2022 Recruiting Class ——————— Advertisement Become a premium Irish Breakdown member, which grants you access to all of our premium content and our premium message board! Click on the link below for more. BECOME A MEMBER Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time! Join the Irish Breakdown community! Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown YouTube channel Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunes Follow me on Twitter: @TTrow5 Like and follow Irish Breakdown on Facebook Sign up for the FREE Irish Breakdown daily newsletter This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
The Independent
26-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
NFL suspends Justin Tucker for first 10 weeks of the season for violating personal conduct policy
The NFL has suspended former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker for the first 10 weeks next season for violating the league's personal conduct policy. The league announced the punishment Thursday. It takes effect on Aug. 26, roster cutdown day, and Tucker is eligible for reinstatement on Nov. 11. Tucker is a free agent after the Ravens released him last month in the aftermath of reports that he was accused of inappropriate sexual behavior by massage therapists. A five-time All-Pro, the 35-year-old Tucker has played his entire 13-year career with Baltimore. He's considered one of the best kickers in NFL history, although 2024 was his worst season. ___
