New Orleans Saints and former UFL kicker Tanner Brown left no stone unturned in his determination to make an NFL roster. From the moment he signed with the expansion Louisville Kings, he had one goal in mind: to have an outstanding UFL season he could use as a springboard back to the NFL. After smashing UFL records as the best kicker in spring ball, Brown now has one final hurdle to overcome before he earns the starting assignment in New Orleans.
One Final Hurdle for Tanner Brown
After going undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft, Brown had brief stints with the Los Angeles Rams and Atlanta Falcons. Unfortunately, his experience was typical of many spring league players.
Tanner Brown’s First NFL Experience
Initially signing with the Rams following the 2023 Draft, Brown was waived in late August as part of the final roster cutdown. Although he signed a reserve/future contract with Los Angeles the following January, his time was spent on the Rams' practice squad, and he never took the field. After L.A. drafted kicker Joshua Karty, Brown became expendable, and he was released that October.
The time he spent in Atlanta proved even more frustrating. After signing with the Falcons' practice squad in December of 2024, he was released two days later.
A Sensational UFL Season
Named to the All-UFL Team and recognized as the UFL Special Teams Player of the Year, Brown's first professional kicking job couldn't have gone any better than it did. Although he was a UFL rookie, it became apparent early in the Kings’ 10-game regular season that he was something special. Calm, focused, and accurate, Brown handled the kicking duties like a seasoned pro. During the first three weeks of the season, he never missed a field goal or extra point and converted the first of nine regular-season field goals in the 50-yard-plus range.
In Week 4 against the Houston Gamblers, Brown converted five of six field goals, including three over 50-yards. Drilling kicks from 59, 58, and 52 yards, Brown added a 48-yard field goal and a 21-yarder. In doing so, he tied a UFL single-game record.
In Week 8, the 6’0”, 177 lb. sensation from Oklahoma State booted his first 60-yard kick. Brown finished the UFL regular season as the number one kicker in the league with 99 points, recording 25/28 field goals and 23/23 extra points. During the post-season, he added 4/4 field goals, including two more 60-yarders. During the Kings' postseason game against the St. Louis Battlehawks, he nailed a 60-yard field goal plus a league-best 63-yarder. In doing so, he became the first professional field goal kicker in history to convert two 60-yard field goals in a single game.
As soon as the Kings Championship season concluded, it came as no surprise to learn Brown was on his way back to the NFL this season.
Signed By The New Orleans Saints
As Brown prepares for the Saints' training camp, he has one more final hurdle to clear before he's announced as the starting kicker. Last season, New Orleans signed Charlie Smyth from the NFL's International Player Pathway Program. The Belfast, Ireland, goalkeeper grew up playing Gaelic football. Signed to the New Orleans practice squad in 2024, Smyth was activated for the final six games of the Saints' 2025 season. Smyth's first NFL field goal was a 56-yarder. He finished the season, converting 12/16 field goals last season for 75%, and connecting on four from 50-plus yards, with a 57-yarder as his longest.
Smyth is a talented kicker. However, there are talented kickers, and then, there are elite kickers. With Brown's range, accuracy, and consistency, he has become an elite player. Brown has also proven to be an especially tough competitor under pressure. In game-winning scenarios and championship battles, he is at his most reliable.
Assuming that all goes according to plan for Tanner Brown, he will have a terrific NFL training camp, overcoming his final hurdle by outlasting Smyth and earning the starting role in New Orleans.