Brandon Aubrey’s NFL journey: from soccer dreams to Cowboys kicker. [Image Source: NBCDFW]
Brandon Aubrey’s transformation from a soccer player in Plano to one of the NFL’s most accurate kickers has captivated Dallas Cowboys fans since he joined the team in 2023. His ascent was neither straightforward nor planned, marking a remarkable story of perseverance and reinvention that redefines what a professional athlete’s path can look like. Aubrey’s journey began far from football fields, driven initially by dreams of a soccer career rather than the NFL spotlight.
Athletic Beginnings and Shared Dreams
Both Brandon and Jenn Aubrey grew up in North Texas, each pursuing Division I sports aspirations at the University of Notre Dame, where they met as high school seniors. Jenn came to lacrosse late but quickly rose to prominence, becoming a high school All-American at Ursuline Academy of Dallas. Brandon was deeply devoted to soccer, recalling,
“I think in fifth grade I wore a soccer jersey every single day to school,”
he says.
“It was always my dream to be a professional athlete. Soccer was what I chose to chase down.”
Their collegiate years were formative, both excelling in their sports and shaping their adult lives together.
Early Professional Struggles in Soccer
After contributing to Notre Dame’s 2013 national championship as a star center back, Brandon signed professional soccer contracts, first with Toronto FC and later with Bethlehem Steel FC. Despite the fulfillment of his childhood ambition, he found the professional environment daunting and challenging. Brandon reveals,
“I’d always treated it like a job. When I got there, I’d watched these guys on TV for so long and didn’t really feel like I belonged. A little bit of imposter syndrome. I was afraid to make mistakes and I think that limited my ceiling. As soon as practice was done, I was done with it for the day.”
Jenn noticed a change in him as well, stating,
Image of: Brandon Aubrey
“Yeah, I did think he played scared. His demeanor wasn’t the same. At Notre Dame, he was a star there. He loved it, was having so much fun and excelling at everything. It just wasn’t like that anymore.”
The Turning Point: Transitioning Away from Soccer
Faced with the harsh competitiveness of professional soccer and feeling no longer at home as a leading player, Aubrey made the difficult decision to step away after his time with Bethlehem Steel FC. Instead, he transitioned into a conventional career, accepting a role at GM Financial, while Jenn became a pilot instructor for American Airlines. They appeared to be settling into more traditional lives until an unexpected moment reignited Brandon’s athletic aspirations.
Discovering a New Path Through Football
One evening while watching an NFL game, Jenn began focusing on the kickers. Recognizing Brandon’s powerful soccer leg and accuracy on penalty kicks, she voiced a belief that would change their lives:
“I really think you could do that,”
Jenn recalls saying to him. Brandon’s initial response conveyed skepticism,
“Jenn, do you know how much work it takes to be a professional athlete?”
Yet, her confidence sparked a new beginning.
The very next day, they visited a high school field with a football and kicking tee. Without any coaching or formal training, Brandon took a 60-yard kick—and made it. Jenn remembers,
“We started a couple yards closer, but he set up for a 60-yard goal, kicked it and made it — with no training whatsoever. We were like, okay. We have something here.”
Brandon explains,
“It felt pretty natural. I was just going to where I was comfortable away from the ball and running up to kick it. I knew that’s not the way NFL kickers do it, but it felt natural.”
Commitment to Training and Finding Mentorship
Seeking to hone his skills, Brandon connected with performance kicking coach Brian Egan through his Performance Kicking Academy, attending free weekly clinics designed for middle and high school students. Aubrey humbly embraced this start:
“I saw on his website, ‘first one’s free,’ so I showed up. At that point, I had no shame. I’d already flamed out of soccer, so I’m like, it doesn’t matter. If I look bad, I look bad. It doesn’t matter.”
His persistence convinced Egan of his potential, and Aubrey trained diligently for three years, mastering technique, timing, and the mental demands of kicking under pressure.
Gaining Exposure Through Spring Football
One of the biggest challenges Aubrey faced was obtaining game footage to attract NFL interest, given he was no longer in college. Jenn describes,
“One of the biggest obstacles was Brandon needed game film. We’re out of school, and obviously we need film to get to the NFL. The USFL at the time just happened to have an inaugural season.”
Brandon signed with the Birmingham Stallions in the USFL, using the spring league to demonstrate he could replicate long-range field goals under intense game conditions. His success there caught the attention of NFL scouts.
Making History with the Dallas Cowboys
In 2023, Brandon Aubrey realized a full-circle moment by signing with the Dallas Cowboys, a team he and his family had long supported. He reflects,
“Yeah, my family would sit down and watch the Cowboys every weekend as a kid growing up, so it’s truly a blessing to be here. My family still lives 10 minutes from the practice facility.”
Despite initial doubts from outsiders about his transition, Aubrey acknowledges,
“A lot of people didn’t believe it was the right decision, but the people that made the decision believed it in their hearts and gave me every opportunity to succeed. And I’m really thankful for that.”
His performance has silenced skeptics, establishing him among the NFL’s most reliable kickers.
Achievements and Records on the Field
Since joining the Cowboys, Aubrey has earned multiple All-Pro honors, boasting an 88.2% career field goal accuracy, and set a league record with six field goals of 60 yards or longer. His rapid rise from being a
software engineer watching a game on the couch
to a record-breaking kicker for America’s Team is a testament to his dedication and adaptability. He reflects on this unexpected success, saying,
“It’s crazy, especially when it’s something that as a kid you didn’t set out to do. So many people do set out specifically to have this job and work their entire lives to be as best as they possibly can. It’s just a testament to how hard we worked in a short amount of time and how we let the failures from one path translate into success on another with the lessons we learned.”
The Role of Belief and Family Support
Brandon credits much of his transformation to Jenn’s unwavering faith in his talent and potential, a theme that has remained constant since the beginning. Jenn affirms,
“Yeah, definitely from the very beginning.”
Now, the couple are raising their young son Colton with another baby on the way, while Brandon continues to shine in the NFL spotlight. He hopes his children will understand the rarity and value of his platform in the years to come.
Aubrey shares,
“I want him to be able to realize just how cool it is and how special it is for someone to have a platform like this. It’s a blessing. It’s been incredible. It’s a dream come true. Hopefully we can do it long enough where he can really take that in.”
Looking Ahead: A Future Rooted in Dallas
Brandon’s desire to remain with the Cowboys and in Dallas is clear. When asked about his goals, he responds simply,
“Yes, absolutely.”
Jenn concurs enthusiastically, adding,
“That would be amazing.”
For two North Texas natives who once dreamed only of collegiate sports success, their current chapter at AT&T Stadium embodies an extraordinary and fitting realization of their shared ambitions.
