From Missed PAT to NFL Legend: Aubrey’s Insane Origin Story
From Soccer Fields to NFL Stardom: The Brandon Aubrey Story
The Unlikely Journey of a Cowboys Kicker
Quick Summary: Brandon Aubrey didn’t take the traditional path to the NFL. He went from professional soccer player → software engineer → football kicker → All-Pro for the Dallas Cowboys. His story proves that sometimes the scenic route leads to the best destinations.
The Contract Relief
After months of negotiations, Aubrey finally signed his long-term deal with the Cowboys. Here’s why it mattered:
- Mental freedom: "Something that big and monumental for your life, you’re going to think about it every day. It’s going to weigh on you."
- Security: Without the contract, he’d only have a one-year tender with no future guarantees
- Focus shift: Now he can stop thinking about money and start thinking about kicking
The Celebration Purchase
When the deal was done, Aubrey didn’t buy a mansion or a sports car. He bought four Breitling watches:
- One for himself
- One for punter Brian Anger
- One for long snapper Trent Sieg
- One for his kicking coach
Why this matters: In football, the "special teams trio" (kicker, punter, long snapper) works as a unit. Aubrey investing in his teammates shows he understands that his success depends on theirs.
The Soccer-to-Football Pipeline
Aubrey’s Timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Retired from professional soccer (Bethlehem Steel FC folded) |
| Dec 2018 | Picked up a football for the first time |
| 2019-2022 | Trained, worked as software engineer, kept kicking |
| 2023 | Got first professional football job in the UFL |
| 2024 | Signed with Dallas Cowboys |
| 2025 | Named All-Pro |
| 2026 | Signed long-term extension |
The Reality Check
"I retired from soccer in 2018. Pretty much started kicking footballs December of 2018, and didn’t get my first job in the UFL until 2023. So that’s a long journey. It was a difficult one, and one where I felt like I was constantly banging my head in the wall, and it might not ever break for me." — Brandon Aubrey
What made it hard:
- Making ~$30,000/year in soccer (below poverty level)
- About to get married, needed stable income
- Software engineering skills were rusty after 2 years away
- No guarantee the football thing would work
The Worst Possible Debut (And How He Handled It)
The Scene: First NFL Game Ever
- Cowboys block a field goal
- Teammate runs it back for a touchdown
- Cowboys lead 6-0
- Aubrey trots out for his first NFL kick — an extra point
- HE MISSES IT
How a Pro Handles Disaster
Most people would spiral. Aubrey did this instead:
- Recognized the mistake immediately — He was "being a fan" watching the other team’s kicker instead of preparing
- Used "neutral thinking" — Mental technique to reset emotions instantly
- Leaned on veterans — Asked Brian Anger (10+ years NFL), Trent Sieg (6-7 years), and coach John Fassel
- Fixed the technical details — Learned the pre-kick routine he’d missed
- Got redemption same game — Cowboys got a pick-six, Aubrey nailed the next extra point
The Lesson: "As a kicker, it’s kind of your job to move on from that really quickly. I had a lot of success in soccer and a lot of failure, and you kind of understand quickly how to deal with it."
Training Camp: Year 3 vs. Year 1
What’s the Same
- The core trio: Still Aubrey, Anger, and Sieg — "I don’t have to learn a new operation"
- The grind: Still kicking thousands of balls in Texas heat
What’s Different
- New head coach Brian Schottenheimer changed the schedule ("for the best")
- More recognition: Fans spot him at restaurants now
- Better culture: "Players are all bought in to the philosophy… working hard and having fun"
The Fame Factor
- Year 1: Recognized once at a Mexican restaurant during bye week — got free candy shot
- Year 3: "Happens more than you’d like" but staff at regular spots protect him
- Disguise: "Luckily, I look like a generic white guy. If I’m not wearing anything Cowboys related, it takes a particular level of fan to spot me."
Should More Soccer Players Try This?
Aubrey’s Honest Answer: Yes, but…
The encouraging part:
- Opens eyes for soccer players who can’t make MLS/overseas rosters
- Same skill set (kicking, pressure, foot-eye coordination)
- Could extend athletic careers
The brutal reality:
- 5-year gap between quitting soccer and first pro football paycheck
- No safety net — most give up before breaking through
- Technique is totally different — soccer kick ≠ football kick
- Mental toll — "constantly banging my head in the wall"
Bottom Line: "It’s going to be a long, brutal journey for them, and some guys are built for that."
Key Takeaways
[!IMPORTANT]
The Brandon Aubrey Blueprint for Unconventional Success
- Recognize when Plan A is dead — Soccer career over at 23? Pivot fast.
- Have a Plan B that pays bills — Software engineering kept lights on.
- Experiment with Plan C low-risk — "Picked up a ball and started trying"
- Invest in expertise immediately — Hired a kicking coach Day 1
- Embrace the long grind — 5 years from first kick to NFL paycheck
- Build your tribe — Takes care of the people who make you better
- Master the mental game — Neutral thinking > raw talent
- Stay humble, stay hungry — Still buys watches for his snapper and punter
Summary
Brandon Aubrey’s story isn’t about overnight success. It’s about:
- A soccer player who got cut and faced poverty wages
- A software engineer who dreaded his desk job
- A 23-year-old teaching himself a new sport in a parking lot
- A rookie missing his first NFL kick on national TV
- A pro who bounced back, mastered his craft, and became All-Pro
- A teammate who buys luxury watches for the guys who snap and hold for him
The moral: Your path doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s. It just has to be yours — and you have to walk it one kick at a time.
FAQ
Q: How long did it take Aubrey to go from "never kicked a football" to NFL All-Pro?
A: About 5 years. He started kicking in December 2018, played in the UFL in 2023, joined the Cowboys in 2024, made All-Pro in 2025, and signed his big extension in 2026.
Q: Why did he miss his very first NFL kick?
A: He got caught "being a fan" — watching the other team’s kicker instead of doing his pre-kick routine. The blocked field goal return for a touchdown created a "sudden change" situation he wasn’t prepared for yet.
Q: What’s the "special teams trio" and why does it matter?
A: The kicker (Aubrey), punter (Brian Anger), and long snapper (Trent Sieg) work as a unit on every kick. They practice together daily. Chemistry matters — a bad snap or hold ruins a perfect kick. That’s why Aubrey bought them all matching watches.
Q: Is Aubrey saying soccer players should switch to football kicking?
A: He thinks more will try, but he’s brutally honest: it’s a "long, brutal journey" with no guarantees. He wants people to know the reality, not just the highlight reel.
Q: What’s "neutral thinking" and why does Aubrey use it?
A: It’s a mental technique to instantly reset after a mistake — not positive thinking, not negative thinking, just neutral. "Okay, that happened. What’s next?" It’s what let him nail an extra point later in the same game he missed his first one.
Want to hear the full interview? Check out "The Sweet Spot" on Sportsradio 96.7 FM/1310 The Ticket.