The sideline can be a lonely place for a player who’s just made a mistake, particularly if that player is a kicker. Specialists in general often hone their craft apart from the larger group, and that isolation could become difficult to bare after poor results.
For Cowboys kicker Brett Maher, there was no poorer result than his historic extra-point misses in Monday’s win against the Buccaneers. Thankfully, CeeDee Lamb was there to pick his teammate up.
Lamb comforted Maher on the Dallas bench during the game, reassuring the veteran kicker that team still had faith in him.
“We’re behind you, bro, you’re good. You’re good,” Lamb said to Maher. “You’ve done bailed us out hella times. We’re with you bro, I promise you we’re with you.”
Maher was thankful for Lamb’s kind words, replying, “I appreciate you, buddy.”
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Maher’s odyssey to becoming the Cowboy’s starting kicker has been a long one. Undrafted out of Nebraska in 2013, he bounced around on different practice squads before ending up in the CFL for several years. He didn’t make his NFL debut until the ’18 season with the Cowboys. From ’20 to ’21, he landed on the practice squads with the Commanders, Jets, Texans and Cardinals before breaking through with the Saints. He ended up back in Dallas this season, where he made 29 of 32 field goal attempts.
It’s impossible to navigate a journey like that without developing some perseverance, and Maher certainly has that trait. But thanks to teammates like Lamb, he’ll have a little encouragement as he works back to his top form.
