While it won’t show up in the official record books, the 70-yard field goal drilled by rookie Cam Little in this past weekend’s preseason game sent a clear message across the NFL: the boundaries of what’s possible for a kicker are being completely redrawn. This single kick serves as the perfect illustration of a league-wide revolution.
The data shows a definitive trend of increasing long-range success, but the story behind the numbers is even more compelling. A convergence of specialized training, new types of athletes, and evolving rules is creating a generation of kickers more prepared than ever to dominate the game.
The Data Doesn’t Lie: A Record-Breaking Trend
First, let’s look at the numbers. The 2024 NFL season saw an all-time record 158 field goals made from 50+ yards. This wasn’t an anomaly; it was the continuation of a dramatic upward surge.
| Season | 50+ Yard Field Goals Made |
| 2020 | 132 |
| 2021 | 126 |
| 2022 | 120 |
| 2023 | 154 |
| 2024 | 158 |
The two most recent seasons have established a new, higher baseline, proving that long-range accuracy is now a core competency for any kicker who wants to stay in the league.
Why Is This Happening?
The explosion in long-range success isn’t an accident. It’s the result of several key factors that have fundamentally changed the position:
- Early and Intense Specialization: The era of the kicker simply being the soccer player who joined the football team is over. Athletes are now training as kickers from middle school and high school, receiving year-round coaching and attending specialized camps. This early focus builds a deep foundation of technique and mental fortitude.
- Smarter Training Methods: Kicking is now a science. Teams and private coaches use advanced analytics, biomechanical video analysis, and strength & conditioning programs designed specifically for the explosive, rotational movements of kicking. This leads to more power, better efficiency, and greater consistency.
- The Rise of the “Hybrid” Athlete: The talent pool is diversifying. Dallas Cowboys star Brandon Aubrey is the prime example. After a professional soccer career in the MLS, he transitioned his powerful leg and athletic discipline to football, setting the single-season record with 14 made 50+ yarders in 2024.
- Influence from Global Sports: While primarily seen with punters, the influx of Australian athletes from sports like rugby has infused special teams with a new level of professionalism and specialized leg talent. This trend underscores a broader league-wide acceptance of finding elite kicking athletes from non-traditional backgrounds.
- Kickers Are Simply Better Athletes: The modern kicker is powerful, flexible, and mentally tough. They are no longer “just a kicker” but a highly specialized weapon, and teams are investing in them as such.
Promoting Consistency: The New K-Ball Rule
As if to aid this high-flying trend, the NFL has implemented a new K-Ball rule for the 2025 season that should lead to even greater consistency for specialists.
Under the new rule, which was approved at the 2025 Annual League Meeting after being proposed by several teams including the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens, teams are now permitted to prepare their kicking footballs (“K-Balls”) well in advance of game day. This is a significant change from the previous system where K-Balls were prepared on game day, often leaving kickers with little time to get a feel for them.
This change allows kickers to practice with the exact balls they will use in the game, breaking them in to their preferred texture and feel—much like how quarterbacks prepare their game balls. The result is a more predictable and consistent variable for the specialist. Instead of being a challenge to overcome, this new rule is another factor that supports the continued rise in kicking proficiency across the league.
2025 Forecast: The Trend Continues
So, what can we expect for the 2025 season?
The Kicking System forecasts that between 160 and 165 field goals will be made from 50+ yards.
When you add in supportive measures like the new K-Ball rule to the underlying forces driving this revolution—better athletes, earlier specialization, and smarter training—all signs point to this trend continuing its upward trajectory. Cam Little’s 70-yarder wasn’t just a highlight; it was a sign of what’s to come.
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