One of the strangest stories of the 2022-23 NFL playoffs has been how Dallas Cowboys‘ kicker Brett Maher has kept missing extra points. Maher missed all three extra points he attempted in the first half of the Cowboys’ wild card round win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week (and all four he attempted overall in that game), then came under more scrutiny still with misses in practice this week and in warmups Sunday. And then, during Sunday’s divisional round game against the San Francisco 49ers, Maher’s first extra point was blocked, but may well have gone wide anyway:
Brett Maher extra point try… blocked. 🏈😬 pic.twitter.com/yGQFpWkXgQ
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) January 23, 2023
The Brett Maher extra point try looks like it wouldn’t have been close even if not for the block. 🏈😬 pic.twitter.com/NukUnrhXsY
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) January 23, 2023
And this led to a wide roasting of Maher (seen above last week) from media and fans:
That Dallas kicker got Nick Anderson Syndrome
— MarkJonesESPN (@MarkJonesESPN) January 23, 2023
Brett Maher when the camera cut to him just now pic.twitter.com/joSTT63dc6
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) January 23, 2023
Apple TV needs to start sending out alerts like "Dallas Cowboys kicker Brett Maher is about to attempt an extra point"
— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) January 23, 2023
Brett Maher is the one true must-watch player in the NFL right now
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) January 23, 2023
Brett Maher come over, listen to some Steely Dan, drink some scotch and just hang out for a bit
— ¡BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL! (@edsbs) January 23, 2023
Brett Maher attempting an extra point. pic.twitter.com/uXh2v2JoTO
— Alex Kramers (@alexkramers) January 23, 2023
At this point, I gotta believe Brett Maher will kick the game-winner in the Super Bowl
then they’ll make a 30 for 30 called ‘Barely Uprights’
— Wes Blankenship (@Wes_nship) January 23, 2023
Even Texas governor Greg Abbott got into this, on his personal account:
I swear, I can kick as good as the Dallas Cowboys kicker.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 23, 2023
And announcers Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen contemplated at one point later if the Cowboys should even try to kick given Maher‘s struggles:
On Brett Maher…
"It's gotta be in their heads… can they even attempt to kick right now?"- Kevin Burkhardt
"The idea of kicking a long field goal… I'm not sure if there's anybody on that Dallas Cowboys sideline that feels good about that."- Greg Olsen pic.twitter.com/lfe5O6Dna3
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 23, 2023
“Can they even attempt to kick right now?” is not something you usually hear from an announcer, especially in a case that doesn’t involve a kicker injury. But through the first half, that extra point was the only kick the Cowboys attempted.
[The Comeback on Twitter; photo from Kim Klement/USA Today Sports]
About Andrew Bucholtz
Andrew Bucholtz has been covering sports media for Awful Announcing since 2012. He is also a staff writer for The Comeback. His previous work includes time at Yahoo! Sports Canada and Black Press.