Sam Ficken Might Be the Lone Bright Spot for the New York Jets
New York Jets kicker Sam Ficken knows all about perseverance, having endured a difficult start to his Penn State career and then beginning his NFL life from a Connecticut brokerage firm.
Now, Ficken is among the few highlights of the Jets' 0-5 start, during which they have scored just 75 points. That's five fewer than the Tennessee Titans, who have played just three games.
But at least the Jets have Ficken, their so-far perfect starter who trained for the season by kicking on an Indiana golf course.
"His confidence is at an all-time high now, and it should be," Jets special teams coordinator Brant Boyer said recently. "He had an unbelievable camp, and I thought he kicked just like he's kicking right now. So it doesn't surprise me that he's doing really well right now."
In his second season with the Jets, Ficken is one of four NFL kickers with a 100-percent conversion rate on field goals and extra points. He's 9 for 9 on field-goal attempts, with a long of 54 yards, and 6 for 6 on extra points.
Ficken went 5 for 5 in the Jets' 37-28 loss to Denver two weeks ago and added a field goal Sunday against the Cardinals.
He began the season with an uncertain spot. Ficken missed eight field goals in 2019, prompting the Jets to bring in Brett Maher as competition. Ficken ultimately won the spot, building on his offseason training at an Indiana golf course, and cemented the role with his performance through five games.
Ficken has been resilient since his sophomore year at Penn State in 2012. The Indiana native made just four of his first 11 field goals at Penn State, missing four alone against Virginia, but persevered.
He ignored social media, sought technical guidance from former Penn State kicker Robbie Gould and turned around his career. Ficken capped his sophomore year by making 10 straight field goals, including the overtime game winner against Wisconsin, and thrifed from there.
As a senior, Ficken made the game-winning field goal of James Franklin's coaching debut in Ireland. By then, Franklin was calling Ficken the team's most consistent player.
Though the NFL responded slowly, Ficken was ready when the Los Angeles Rams called in 2017. The finance major was working for a Connecticut brokerage firm at the time. He has been a kicker since, signing with the Jets as a free agent in Week 2 of the 2019 season.
Now, Ficken is among the Jets' few bright spots.
"He's earned the spot where he's at," Boyer said. "He's worked a lot of years to get here, went through some ups and downs, worked his butt off and it's finally paying off for him."
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