Tottenham star Harry Kane doubles down on dream to become NFL kicker
There have been more than a few high level two-sport stars over the years, from Deion Sanders to Bo Jackson to Kyler Murray. And one international star from across the pond thinks he could be next: Tottenham’s Harry Kane.
Kane is one of the top goal-scorers in the Premier League, the top division of English football. But he also entertains fantasies of being an NFL kicker one day.
The Tottenham star has discussed his desire to try his hand — well, leg, rather — in the NFL numerous times over the years and did so again on Wednesday in an appearance on Good Morning America with Michael Strahan.
“It’s something I want to definitely explore,” Kane said. “I know it’ll be a lot of hard work. I’m not expecting to just walk up and start kicking field goals. It will be a lot of practice, a lot of hard work but, yeah, it’s something I’d love to do. The NFL is something I’ve been following for about 10 years now, and I love it. So, would love to give it a go.”
Strahan laughed and referenced a time he tried to stop a soccer penalty kick from Kane, noting it didn’t go so well and it’s “something that neither one of us will ever do again.”
But Harry Kane’s desire to kick in the NFL is real.
His leg’s certainly got the credentials to give it a go. Kane is coming off a 30-goal campaign for Tottenham, the second such season in his career. In the last 10 seasons with Spurs he has accounted for 213 goals and 46 assists across 301 starts.
That is an incredible goal-scoring record.
One that would translate to the uprights? Not according to former NFL star kicker Morten Anderson. Anderson has previously spoken on how difficult it would be for someone like Kane to switch to the NFL.
“For Harry Kane to become an NFL kicker, it’s not going to happen,” Anderson was quoted as saying in The Evening Standard. “Not to burst the bubble, as I would love to work with him. If I could have him for a month to train him to see how it goes. But it’s like me becoming a specialist free-kick taker for Man United.
“You need to be successful on 80% of your kicks in the NFL, and it’s not easy. If Harry’s not going to make eight out of 10 kicks, it’s not going to happen. There’s a large number of guys hoping to make it as an NFL kicker.”
Anderson went on to further expand on the changes that would make it difficult for Harry Kane to simply step over from professional soccer to the NFL.
“Not only being able to deliver the ball, but you’re facing 11 guys across the line of scrimmage. They’re going to snort, spit and call him names to try and stop him. You have to deliver from snap to kick in 1.2s – 1.5s through a target that is 16 feet 8 inches, and 10 feet above the crowd. Not forgetting the millions of people watching in the stands. Doesn’t it sound a bit ridiculous?”
Ridiculous or not, it’s something more than a few fans in both sports would probably like to see.