When an original soccer player mutates into one of the best NFL kickers. The story of Cowboys pro Brandon Aubrey may pave the way for other players.

The path in US sport is clear. Impress in high school, impress in college and then use the draft system to gain a foothold in the elite league.

But every now and then, exceptions prove the rule. Take Brandon Aubrey, for example.

He is currently the Dallas Cowboys’ kicker and, on paper, a rookie. This is the 28-year-old’s first NFL season and he is already one of the best players in his position.

Aubrey converted all 19 of his field goal attempts. That is a record for a rookie. And yet he initially preferred to kick against another ball

Aubrey as a first-round pick in the MLS draft

Aubrey actually comes from soccer. In his college days, he kicked for Notre Dame. He played in defense. But he also scored 15 goals in 76 games as a defender.

This led to the current Texan being drafted by Toronto FC in the 2017 MLS draft – even in the first round. However, he was never able to assert himself and was only allowed to play for the second team.

Career change a few years later. Instead of playing soccer, Aubrey tried his hand at kicking a football. He trained and changed tack, which paid off.

In the 2022 season, after successful trials, he was the kicker for the USFL team Birmingham Stallions. He converted 14 of his 15 field goal attempts in the football league and all of his 35 extra points. Not only that, the Stallions also won the league with him

Dallas Cowboys take notice of Aubrey

This performance put him on the Dallas Cowboys’ radar. Brett Maher left the team and owner Jerry Jones had Aubrey compete against Tristan Vizcaino in the offseason to be his successor.

The 28-year-old prevailed. Vizcaino was released. Aubrey took off.

Since then, he has been a strong back-up and has also kept his nerve as an official rookie. The highlight was his 39-yard field goal to win the game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6 by a final score of 20-17;

Coach Mike McCarthy compares him to the young Mason Crosby, who played with McCarthy for the Packers at the time and became the most successful kicker in franchise history.

Does this particular career path perhaps pave the way for others like it? Footballers such as Sergio Ramos, Christian Fuchs and Harry Kane have already publicly toyed with the idea of one day trying their hand at football as a kicker.