Brett Maher's Birthday: Cowboys Redemption Tour Continues in Dallas
Dallas Cowboys kicker Brett Maher has been maligned by some critics throughout his on-and-off NFL career. Having been on the street during the offseason, the 32-year-old won the kicking job in training camp ... Though not many were completely banking on his talent.
And why? Frankly, that was due largely in part to his ability to miss field goals on a regular basis with Dallas in the 2019 season. Previously reliable, that year Maher made only 20 of his 30 field-goal attempts that season and was released by the team in December.
How times have changed.
Against the talented Minnesota Vikings, Maher's "Redemption Tour'' this season - not to mention the Monday celebration of his 33rd birthday - added another go-'round as he played a big part in the 40-3 win that improved the Cowboys' record to 7-3. Since the days of Dan Bailey, having a reliable kicker has been something Dallas hasn't had. They do now.
Maher's two 60-yard field goals - one counting and one called back due to CeeDee Lamb's catch oddly going retroactively under review - further enhanced how he has flipped the script.
"I felt like everything today I just had to hit a good, clean ball," Maher said. "I didn't feel like I had to press on anything. … Big credit to Matt [snapper Overton] and Brian [punter Anger] for giving me really clean looks all day and the guys up front also. I felt like I could just go out there and put a good, solid stroke on it and we'd be all right."
On Sunday, Maher was "automatic," nailing all four of his field-goal attempts, all of which were from 50 yards or beyond. And yes, even though he is a famously cool customer, he admitted to having to wrestle with emotions.
"The emotions were already kind of out there after I made the first (negated) one," Maher said. "To be able to back down and (re-gather) myself to where I needed to be, I'm very happy with how I handled it."
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