Brandon Aubrey has one of the strongest legs in the NFL. The UFL's four-point field goal rule would benefit him more than most kickers. Aubrey is not a fan of it.
"I think it's a little weird," the Dallas Cowboys kicker said. His view carries weight for two reasons. He played in a spring league before the NFL, and he is one of the top kickers in the game now.
The NFL has taken one idea from a spring league before. The league changed its kickoff rules based on the format used by the XFL. That history is why the UFL, the XFL's successor, is worth watching now that it uses a four-point field goal.
The UFL rewards teams with four points for field goals of more than 60 yards. This season, that rule led to more long-distance attempts. UFL kickers went from zero to eight made field goals of 60 yards or more.
There is no proposal for the NFL to adopt the rule. NFL owners are not campaigning for it, so the topic is a hypothetical. ESPN's Michael DiRocco asked kickers around the league for their views. Aubrey was one of them.
Aubrey Played in a Spring League
Aubrey kicked for the USFL's Birmingham Stallions in 2022 and 2023. He led the league in field goals both seasons and won two championships. He made 18 of 22 field goals in 2022 and 14 of 15 in 2023. The Stallions ended his contract in July 2023, and he signed with the Cowboys days later.
His path to kicking started in soccer. Aubrey played four years at Notre Dame and won a national title with the 2013 team. Toronto FC drafted him in the first round, 21st overall, in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. He played two seasons in the USL, then left pro soccer. He worked as a software engineer and trained as a kicker before the USFL gave him a path back to pro sports.
Aubrey is now one of the top kickers in the NFL. His league record for 60-yard field goals and his contract, both noted below, are part of why his view on the four-point rule draws attention.
Brandon Aubrey Warns About the Rule
Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey has one of the strongest legs in the NFL. The rule would benefit him. He is not an advocate for it.
"I think it's a little weird," Aubrey told ESPN's Michael DiRocco. "Kind of incentivizes you to stall the drive in a certain spot. It makes you really, really question your play-calling around that 50-yard line area. It's interesting for kickers that have the leg to get it there, maybe [there's] a little bit more value there. But kind of perverses the incentives of football where the goal is to get it as close to the other person's half as possible.
"So, I'm conflicted on it. I like it for the kickers. I think it's a nightmare for the play-callers."
Aubrey said teams could settle for a long kick instead of driving for the end zone. That shift would change how offenses play near midfield.
Aubrey Inspired the UFL Rule
UFL co-owner Mike Repole said Aubrey's play inspired the change. Repole pointed to Aubrey's game-tying 64-yarder against the New York Giants in Week 2 of the 2025 season, according to UFL.com's Ethan Berch. Aubrey inspired the rule, but he is not pushing the NFL to use it.
Aubrey made three field goals of more than 60 yards last season. He is the NFL's all-time leader in 60-yard field goals with six, and he made half of them last season.
This offseason, Aubrey became the highest-paid kicker in NFL history. He signed a four-year, $28 million contract in restricted free agency.
Cam Little Wants to Keep Tradition
Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little broke the NFL record with a 68-yard field goal last season. He also questioned the four-point idea.
"It adds an element to the game that if you have a bigger leg, it helps you," Little told ESPN. "But I don't know. There's been so many rule changes between the kickoff. I just think if we could keep some tradition to the game, I think that's what makes the NFL really cool because we've kept a lot of the rules."
Some Kickers Back the Idea
Washington Commanders kicker Jake Moody and Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates both told ESPN they liked the idea. Little's head coach, Liam Coen, also expressed interest.
NFL Kicking Numbers Rose in 2025
The improvement of NFL kickers was a top storyline in 2025. Nine kickers made 12 field goals of 60 yards or more that season. That total nearly matched the 13 made in the previous three seasons combined.
Why the NFL Might Pass
The NFL changed its kickoff rules for two reasons. The new system raised the rate of kickoff returns and cut the heavy impacts that happened when kick and return teams collided.
A four-point field goal would push teams to settle for kicks at midfield. Kickers are rarely marquee players in the NFL, so the trade may not appeal to the league. For now, the four-point field goal stays a UFL rule and an NFL talking point.