From Golf Carts to Game-Winners: The Wild Journey of NFL Kickers
PARKER ROMO DOES not sugarcoat his previous job. When asked about his role as an outside services supervisor at a golf course in Fayetteville, Arkansas, he describes it with a laugh:
“It’s like a fancy way of saying ‘glorified cart boy,’” he said.
The Blessings Golf Club, where Romo worked, is no ordinary course. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and ranked second in Arkansas by Golf Digest, it’s a golfer’s paradise. But for Romo, the job wasn’t about the prestige of the course. It was about the schedule. The early mornings left his afternoons free to focus on his real dream: becoming an NFL kicker.
So, when the Minnesota Vikings called in November, Romo didn’t hesitate. They needed a kicker after Will Reichard suffered a right quad injury. One day, Romo was arranging golf carts; the next, he was on a flight to Minneapolis for the opportunity of a lifetime.
Welcome to the unpredictable world of NFL kickers.
The Most Unpredictable Job in Football
Being an NFL kicker is a unique and often grueling path. Over the past 20 years, only 37 kickers have been drafted. Most enter the league as undrafted free agents, and even then, landing a roster spot can take years. Staying in the league? That’s an entirely different challenge. Kickers are often seen as replaceable, their careers defined by uncertainty, immense pressure, and the fine line between hero and villain.
“To [teams], they’re expendable,” said Gary Zauner, a former NFL special teams coordinator and now a private kicking coach who has helped many players reach the league.
For every established star like the Baltimore Ravens’ Justin Tucker or the Kansas City Chiefs’ Harrison Butker, there are countless others waiting for their shot. Romo was one of them.
He beat out four other kickers during a tryout with the Vikings and was signed to the active roster. In his first game, Romo went 4-for-4, scoring all of Minnesota’s points in a 12-7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was a dream debut, but Romo knew the mental toughness required to succeed in such a high-pressure role.
“It might be cliché, but it really is 99 percent mental and 1 percent physical,” said Romo, who recently signed with the New England Patriots practice squad.
Surviving the Limbo
Romo’s story isn’t unique. Many kickers face a long, uncertain road to the NFL. Take Lucas Havrisik, for example. In 2022, the former University of Arizona kicker was working as a substitute middle school teacher in Tucson, Arizona, while chasing his NFL dream. He had just spent a week on the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad, but nothing materialized.
“You’ve got to have something outside of football when you’re a free agent,” Havrisik said. “I wasn’t making much money, but it was cool just to [teach] and experience it, because the reality is when football’s done, you’ve got to have a regular job.”
Havrisik’s persistence paid off. In 2023, he joined the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad and later signed with the Los Angeles Rams, where he converted 15 of 20 field goal attempts over nine weeks. But like many kickers, his journey has been a rollercoaster of signings, releases, and waiting for the next call.
The Harsh Realities of the Job
The turnover rate for NFL kickers is staggering. This season alone, 10 kickers who didn’t attempt a kick last year have taken the field. On average, there have been 43.6 kickers per season this decade, compared to 39.1 in the 2010s.
Even success doesn’t guarantee job security. Matthew Wright became the third Chiefs kicker to hit a game-winning field goal as time expired this season, a first in NFL history. Yet, he was waived just a week later when Butker returned from injury. Similarly, Romo was 11-of-12 with the Vikings but was waived when Reichard returned. Reichard has since gone 0-for-1.
“It’s slim pickings,” said the Colts’ Matt Gay, who became a Pro Bowl kicker after being cut by Tampa Bay in 2020. “You’re not going to be third or fourth string on a team. There’s like one guy on each team.”
Chasing the Dream
For many kickers, the dream of playing in the NFL is worth the sacrifices. Romo, for instance, gave himself two years to make it back onto a roster after being cut. His time with the Vikings was a step in the right direction, and now he’s more determined than ever.
“I want to continue to do this as long as I can,” he said.
Whether it’s working as a “glorified cart boy,” substitute teaching, or selling bricks, the journey to the NFL is rarely glamorous for kickers. But for those who make it, the payoff is worth every moment of uncertainty.
Key Takeaways
- Most NFL kickers are undrafted, with only 37 drafted in the past 20 years.
- The average NFL season sees over 40 kickers take the field, reflecting high turnover.
- Mental toughness and perseverance are critical for success in this high-pressure role.
As Romo, Havrisik, and others have shown, the path to the NFL may be unconventional, but the dream is always worth chasing.
Originally Written by: Kevin Seifert
