Louisville Kings kicker Tanner Brown enjoyed an extraordinary UFL season, culminating with the Kings winning the United Bowl. Throughout the season, he set multiple kicking records, establishing himself as the best kicker to ever emerge from spring football. Afterwards, to no one’s surprise, Brown was one of the first players signed to an NFL contract. The All-UFL Team standout and Special Teams Player of the Year was immediately snapped up by the New Orleans Saints. His dream of an NFL career was about to take off.
What's Next For Louisville Kings' Kicker Tanner Brown?
Brown entered training camp competing against the Saints’ 2025 kicker, Charlie Smyth, for the starting role. Unfortunately, both players struggled throughout the preseason, missing several crucial kicks and failing to meet the coaches' expectations. Days before final roster cutdowns, New Orleans signed NFL veteran Daniel Carlson to the roster.
During the Saints’ final preseason game, Carlson converted both field goals while Brown and Smyth were only allowed to kick an extra point each. The writing was on the wall, and both Brown and Smyth were waived during final roster cutdowns. Now, Brown is once again on the outside looking in instead of achieving his dream of playing in the NFL. What lies ahead for the talented young kicker?
Is Brown’s History Repeating Itself?
The Saints weren’t the first NFL team to give Brown an opportunity. When he failed to make the Saints' 53-man roster following a last-minute signing of an NFL veteran kicker, it must have felt like an unreal deja vu experience.
Before his successful season with the Kings, Brown briefly spent time with the L.A. Rams and the Atlanta Falcons practice squads but never made the 53-man roster. Although the Oklahoma State graduate was a semi-finalist for the Lou Groza Award (given to the nation's best collegiate kicker), Brown went undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft.
He signed with the Rams as a UDFA during the 2023 preseason, competing against another UDFA, Christopher Dunn from NC State. Dunn won the Groza Award the previous year and was signed to the Rams practice squad in May of 2023. When Dunn was waived on June 15th, it looked as though Brown would make the 53-man roster. However, the Rams had other plans. He was released on August 29, 2023, and NFL veteran Brett Maher was signed to a one-year contract the following day.
Another NFL Opportunity In 2024
Maher struggled early on with LA, and he was waived in mid-October. However, Maher was re-signed for the Rams' postseason run in January of 2024. Following the close of the postseason, the Rams signed Brown to a reserve/future contract on January 18, 2024.
But not content to rely solely on Brown, the Rams drafted kicker Joshua Karty in April, as their designated kicker to open the 2024 season. In September, the rookie kicker suffered a minor groin injury, and Brown was signed to L.A.’s practice squad for a second time. He remained on the practice squad as a backup for the next few weeks until his October release. Brown signed with the Atlanta Falcons in December, but he was released two days later.
A Sensational UFL Season
Brown’s UFL season could not have gone any better. In 10 regular-season games, he converted 25/28 field goals (89.3%) and 23 PATs for a league-leading 99 total points. His proficiency in kicking long-distance 60-plus-yard field goals was second only to D.C. Defenders veteran kicker Matt McCrane, who recorded four kicks in 2026 (one more than Brown).
Earning the UFL Special Teams Player of the Year honors, Brown proved just as reliable in the Kings' postseason, converting 4/ 4 attempts along the way to the Kings’ United Bowl championship victory. In addition, he accomplished a never-before-seen feat in either the UFL or the NFL by kicking multiple 60-yard field goals in a single game. Nailing both kicks from 60 and 63 yards in the Kings’ playoff game against the St. Louis Battlehawks, Brown made professional football history.
What Comes Next for Brown?
Currently an NFL free agent, Brown is eligible to be signed by another team in the league that might suddenly need a starting kicker. As injuries begin to pile up during the regular season, it’s more than likely that Brown will find himself in demand. NFL kickers are particularly susceptible to strained muscles, such as hip flexors, hamstrings, or groin injuries. As a result, they're often on the inactive player list for weeks at a time.
Consequently, several UFL kickers, including Lucas Havrisik, Parker Romo, and most recently, Harrison Mevis, have found NFL team opportunities during the regular season. Two of the most successful are Cleveland Browns kicker Andre Szmyt and L.A. Rams kicker Harrison Mevis. Both propelled themselves from a replacement stint to becoming the team’s rostered starting kicker. Szmyt is now in his second season in Cleveland after converting 24/27 field goals (88.9%) and 25/26 extra points (96.2%) in 2025. Szmyt’s longest kick went for 55 yards.
Mevis was signed to the Rams’ practice squad mid-season. Three days later, he was the team’s starting kicker, and in nine regular-season games, he converted 12-of-13 FG attempts and 39-of-39 extra points. During the Rams 2025 postseason, he drilled 6-of-6 field goals and 9-of-9 extra points in three playoff games. Like Szmyt, Mevis parlayed his midseason opportunity into becoming the team’s starting kicker the following season. Both are earning more than a million dollars this season in the NFL.
It's Only a Matter of Time
Following the finalization of the Saints' 53-man roster, New Orleans signed Irish-born Smyth to their practice squad under the International Player Pathway program. Consequently, with Carlson as their kicker, the Saints have Smyth as their reserve backup.
Although New Orleans won't be giving him a call, Brown will undoubtedly get an opportunity with another NFL team this season. Given Brown's reputation for calm under pressure, reliability, and leg strength during his UFL season, it's only a matter of time before another NFL team contacts him. Hopefully, for Brown, that will be sooner rather than later, and he can resume his dream of an NFL playing career.