Long-range field goals are being made like nobody’s business in the NFL, and former Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro center Jason Kelce has had just about enough of it.
“Kickers are making 60-yarders like it’s routine,” Kelce said on the latest edition of his podcast, “New Heights.” “We need to narrow these field goal posts. It’s too easy to kick field goals right now. We got to go to rugby goal posts. Kickers should not be influencing football games as much as they are right now. We need to make kickers way less valuable.
“That is not what football is about.”
The distance between NFL goalposts is roughly 18 feet and 5 inches, whereas rugby goalposts are slightly more narrow at 18 feet. NFL goalposts come up 35 feet from the ground, while rugby goalposts extend 52 feet and 5 inches.
“Just throw the ball through the uprights,” Kelce added playfully. “Why do we have to have this guy come out here and kick it that doesn’t belong on the football field? … I don’t want these guys going out there in soccer shoes — and you can’t touch them, and we’re making believing like this is a football play.
“Shout out to Jake Elliott, he’s a great kicker, I just disagree with everything about it.”
Elliott is 4 of 5 on the season and a perfect 8 for 8 on extra points. His longest field goal so far has been from 38 yards out, but Elliott has made two 61-yard field goals in his career and is 26 of 38 in his career on 50-plus-yard field goals.
Kelce, a six-time All-Pro, retired following the 2023 season and a 13-year career spent entirely with the Eagles. He hosts “New Heights” with his brother, Kansas City Chiefs star and four-time All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce.
The younger Kelce is off to a slow start this season, reeling in just 24 receptions for 228 yards and zero touchdowns. The undefeated Chiefs (5-0) have kicker Harrison Butker in their arsenal. Butker is 12 of 14 on the season with a long of 53 yards. He made a 62-yard field goal in 2022 and is 30 of 44 (68.2%) in his career on 50-plus-yard field goals.
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