Is there a kicker equivalent to TJS? because throwing 100mph in baseball was once considered a "unicorn"... and now most 3rd or 4th relievers have that capability. In addition to the ball consistency, they may have just been able to identify/target/develop kickers' legs in a way that mechanically unlocks the greater distance. Will see if kicking "harder" leads to the same uptick in eventual surgery that baseball pitchers now face.
Yeah, there's other older articles talking about how accurate kickers are now, and the consensus was specialized training
Being an NFL kicker or punter is one of the most stable, consistent, lucrative, and in-demand positions in all of professional sports. The one position that's even more of a "job for life" skillset... the long snapper, Its amazing that those positions, if one is good/healthy, almost guaratees at least a 10 year career. Are there any other pro team sport positions with similar offerings? Maybe simply being a 7 footer in basketball... but that still requires some blessed genes more than anything. At one point being a lefty relief pitcher had its advantages too, but that has been mitigated by the 3 batter rule and general arm wear/tear that exceeds the leg wear/tear apparently. Even more amazing that these "job for life" positions come from the sport that statistically has the shortest career trends.
