Why Cowboys Project Rams Ex Zuerlein As ‘Best Kicker In NFL’

FRISCO - Greg Zuerlein reached his professional basement in 2019.

"Last year was terrible," he said of his final season with the Los Angeles Rams. “No excuses there."

Greg Zuerlein is zooming to the professional penthouse in 2020 - at least according to Dallas Cowboys special-teams coordinator John Fassel.

“I expect Greg to be one of the top - if not the top - kicker in the league for the next couple years for us Cowboys,'' Fassel said.

The projection isn’t outlandish if Zuerlein’s body of work is considered. Fassel coached Zuerlein throughout his NFL career, dating back to 2012 when “Greg the Leg” was drafted by the Rams. Over a seven-year span, Fassel became a “star” at his job and Zuerlein became an All-Pro at his.

But Zuerlein’s field-goal number in 2019 dipped to to 73 percent ... and he was freed to join Fassel, whose contract was also up in L.A., allowing him to hook on with new coach Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys.

So what was Zuerlein’s issue in L.A.? Fassel said a groin pull limited the kicker, but due to the final-contractual-year realities, Zuerlein pushed to perform.

“So, for about a six-to-eight-week stretch,” Fassel said, “we didn't even kick him during the course of the game week."

But, said Zuerlein: "There's no excuse not to make kicks. To make any excuse is not acceptable."

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The Zuerlein/Fassel tandem gets its first crack at making kicks and justifying predictions in Week 1 of the NFL season, with their trip back to L.A. to play the Rams in the new SoFi Stadium.

"It’s going to be a pretty sweet experience," Zuerlein said. "It's cool to play your old team in a new stadium. There will be a little bit of emotions just seeing the guys. (But) at the end of the day, I'm so happy where I am."

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