Brandon McManus Petitions Broncos to Give Him the Shot at NFL-Record Field Goal
Records are made to be broken. When Denver Broncos' kicker Brandon McManus appeared last week on the Jim Rome show, he made it clear he wants to attempt to break the record for the longest field goal in NFL history in the near future.
“Being a football fan since three years old and having one of the stronger legs in the NFL and knowing I can make that–obviously you have to still make it between the two yellow poles, but the distance isn’t going to be an issue for that,” McManus told Rome last week.
The distance record has always held considerable gravitas within a game that largely only pays attention to placekickers when they miss field goal attempts. New Orleans Saints legendary kicker Tom Dempsey, who died earlier this year, famously had a Bob Beamon-like hold on the record for over 40 years. His 63-yard overtime boot vs. the Detroit Lions back in 1970 has been replayed multiple times since he set the record.
A soccer-style kicker, McManus has previously stated that he could connect from 68 yards if he was lucky enough to kick in warm weather conditions. Even with the high altitude of Mile High adding vital distance, he would still require a perfect kicking storm to create the ideal window of opportunity to set a new NFL mark.
Back in 2013, when former Broncos kicker Matt Prater broke the record with a 64-yarder vs. the Titans, it came at a juncture in the game that the Broncos felt comfortable with letting him take a free swing just before halftime.
Last season, it seemed as though McManus was going to attempt a 65-yarder to end the first half at home in Week 13 vs. the Chargers but Head Coach Vic Fangio called it off. Fangio originally sent McManus out but reversed course in the fear that the kick would be blocked or even returned, creating a negative for his team.
At the time, McManus clearly showed his displeasure towards Fangio as he threw his helmet and stalked the sidelines. McManus remains fully aware that in order to get another shot at NFL history, it will still be Fangio who will have to sign off and reckon with the stakes before letting the kicker shoot for the record books.
“At the end of the day, it’s always coach’s decision and he knows that. My buddy Vic Fangio knows that I disagree with that, but hopefully at the end of the day, I’ll have another chance to break it,” McManus told Rome.
Defensive-minded coaches like Fangio also tend to take less risks on huge kicks late in tied games, which means the odds of McManus being given the opportunity to attempt a record-breaker further erode to the extent that adding extra bonus points in the first half of a home blowout might prove to be his only realistic chance to set a new record.
All told, we are looking at a very unlikely subplot playing out this coming season. However, McManus remains stubbornly upbeat that he will get his chance to cement his place in the record books at some point.
“It’s something that I would love to be part of—NFL history,” McManus said.
Odds are, the stars aligning perfectly for McManus to attempt a record-breaker are slim, so Prater's place in history isn't in danger of falling into new hands just yet, but given all the right conditions, big-legged McManus is sure he can make it.
Follow Keith on Twitter @KeithC_NFL and @MileHighHuddle.
