Brandon Aubrey Demands $10M To Become NFL’s Highest-Paid Kicker

Brandon Aubrey wasn’t always a star. Just a few years back, he was kicking footballs alone in the dark—no fans, no contract, just hope. A software engineer and former soccer player cut by Bethlehem Steel FC, Aubrey took his wife’s casual suggestion seriously. He trained three nights a week with a private coach for three years before the NFL noticed. Now, the Dallas Cowboys have offered him $7.5 million per year. His counter? $10 million.

Record Breaker

Aubrey didn’t just make it to the NFL—he dominated it. Three seasons, three All-Pro selections, three Pro Bowls. He opened his career with 35 consecutive field goals, an NFL record, and has six career makes from 60-plus yards, crushing Brett Maher’s previous mark of three. His 88.2% accuracy rate speaks for itself. On December 4, 2025, he became the first kicker ever to nail three field goals of 55-plus yards in one game against Detroit. Meanwhile, Harrison Butker, the league’s current highest-paid kicker, earns $6.4 million per year.

The Promise

At the 2026 NFL Combine, Jerry Jones made a bold statement: “We want to make him the highest-paid player. We think he’s outstanding.” It sounded like a done deal. Fans assumed the billionaire owner of the world’s most valuable sports franchise, worth $13 billion, would simply cut the check. But behind the public praise hides a $2.5 million gap. Jones said “we want to,” not “we will.” That difference matters more than you’d think.

The Gap

Jones offered $7.5 million annually. Aubrey wants $10 million. That’s a 33% gap from an owner worth $19.6 billion. The Cowboys also placed a second-round tender on Aubrey worth $5.8 million. That means if another team signs him, they have to give up a second-round pick. It gives Dallas three ways to control the situation: the tender, the right to match any offer, and the way they talk about it publicly. Jones picked his words on purpose. Saying “we want to” shows interest. Saying “we will” shows action. He went with the first one for a reason. There’s a big difference.

The System

The restricted free agent system was built for moments like this. Teams lock elite players into cheap rookie deals—Aubrey earned just $2.695 million total across three All-Pro seasons—then use tenders to suppress market value when free agency finally arrives. His current cap hit was $1.03 million. He’s asking for nearly a 1,000% raise. Jones publicly praises Aubrey while privately testing whether tender pressure will force a discount. Agent Todd France didn’t stay quiet; he fired back during Combine Week: “Misinformation spreads like wildfire.”

The Numbers

Aubrey made 36 of 42 field goals in 2025, hitting at 85.7% while kicking more than any other kicker in the league. His 65-yard field goal against Baltimore on September 22, 2024, was the second-longest in NFL history at the time. Cam Little has since passed him with kicks of 67 and 68 yards. In Week 2 of 2025, Aubrey hit a 64-yarder to tie the Giants at 37, then won the game with a 46-yarder in overtime. Two game-changing kicks in one game. His rookie season in 2023 was even more impressive. He hit 94.7% of his field goals, the best accuracy any first-year kicker has ever posted.

Market Shockwave

Aubrey’s negotiation won’t stay confined to Dallas. If he lands $10 million annually, every elite young kicker in the league will recalibrate their worth. Cam Little holds the all-time distance record at 68 yards. Eddy Piñeiro posted a near-perfect 2025 season. Both will point to Aubrey’s deal as the new baseline. Teams with aging kickers on legacy contracts will face pressure to renegotiate or incur replacement costs. The Cowboys’ projected cap flexibility of $301.2 to $305.7 million for 2026 can absorb another premium allocation—all while their 30-year Super Bowl drought continues.

New Position

This negotiation is bigger than one kicker’s paycheck. For decades, kickers were seen as replaceable. Teams spent late-round picks and minimum salaries on them without thinking twice. Aubrey’s six field goals from 60-plus yards changed that. His range turned a backup role into a real weapon on the field. His own coach, Brian Schottenheimer, called him “a luxury that I’ve never had before.” What Aubrey gets paid will set the standard. It will show whether NFL teams are ready to value kickers differently or keep using the system to pay them less than they’re worth.

The Clock

March 11 marks the restricted free agent deadline. If no extension materializes, Aubrey either plays on the $5.8 million tender or tests the open market through offer sheets. Other teams can bid. Dallas can match or accept the second-round pick and let him walk. Stephen Jones described the negotiations as “a journey,” which is front-office code for slow progress. Aubrey’s wife publicly denied reports of a contentious impasse. Forecasts from Blogging the Boys project a four-year, $27 million extension at roughly $6.75 million annually—just enough to top Butker’s record.

The Real Test

Aubrey said it himself after a four-field-goal performance: “It feels like I’ve set myself apart with a particular set of skills, I guess, that are hard to replicate.” From MLS draft pick to software engineer to NFL record holder, he’s now forcing a $19.6 billion owner to define what “highest-paid” truly means when the check arrives. Every team watching this negotiation is learning the same lesson: the kicker market has a new ceiling. The only question left is whether Dallas writes the number—or someone else does.

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Sources
The Irish Tribune, Brandon Aubrey, no date provided
StatMuse, Brandon Aubrey career stats, no date provided
NBC Sports, Jerry Jones wants to make Brandon Aubrey NFL’s highest-paid kicker, March 2, 2026
NFL.com, Brandon Aubrey contract details, no date provided
Sports Illustrated, Brandon Aubrey and Cowboys remain far apart in contract talks, February 24, 2026
CBS Sports, Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey NFL records, December 4, 2025​