Cowboys Legend Leighton Vander Esch Drills $1M Kick in Pat McAfee College GameDay Contest

Dallas Cowboys fans tuning into ESPN College GameDay got a treat when a familiar face made an appearance. Leighton Vander Esch, a first-round pick in 2018 out of Boise State, was there to represent his Broncos.

LVE was also there to try and make a kick for $1 million.

Every week, Pat McAfee allows a fan to kick a 33-yard field goal for $1 million. This week, they also had Vander Esch come out to try a kick, although he was playing for charity.

After missing badly on his first attempt, Vander Esch was allowed to try again. This time, he drilled it right down the middle, which meant McAfee would donate $1 million to the Make-A-Wish foundation.

Leighton stepped up for Luca and @MakeAWish with a $1 Million kick 💰❤️ pic.twitter.com/MPl7ytklyB
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) November 14, 2026

Boise State fan Easton Hanson also got a chance to kick for $1 million and he drilled the attempt.

Boise State set to take on Oregon State

Boise State Broncos QB Cash Herrera celebrates the touchdown of running back Harry Stewart III against Colorado State. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

GameDay is live from Boise State on Saturday as the No. 24 Broncos host the Oregon State Beavers. Kickoff is at 6:00 p.m. EST and will take place at Albertsons Stadium.

The Broncos are 8-1, whereas the Beavers come into this one with a record of 5-4.

Leighton Vander Esch was special for Dallas

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch reacts during the game against the Houston Texans. | USA TODAY Sports

Vander Esch wasn't a popular selection when first announced as Cowboys' fans felt he was selected too high. Dallas had the 19th overall pick and linebacker wasn't seen as an impactful enough position for such a selection. There were also concerns about his medical history as Vander Esch entered the league with a lingering neck issue.

That feeling changed in a hurry as LVE made a huge impact. He recorded 140 tackles and two interceptions as a rookie, leading to a Pro Bowl selection. That was impressive enough on its own, but he also started just 11 of the 16 games he played.

Unfortunately, the neck injuries ended up playing a major role in his career. He suffered another neck injury in 2019, leading to surgery. He missed nine games that year and another six in 2020 due to a broken collarbone.

Vander Esch suffered yet another neck injury in 2023, forcing him to miss all but five games. He then retired from the game at just 28 years old. It was tough to see him go, especially at such a young age, but he proved to be a stud during his six-year career, even if he never earned the respect he deserved.

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