The most amazing part of Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey’s first year in the NFL isn’t that he very nearly had a perfect season of converting field goals. Week after week, he kept his streak intact—until Fox Sports announcer Kevin Burkhardt applied a jinx on Sunday.
In Dallas’s 38—10 rout of the Washington Commanders, Aubrey missed two field goals, one of which wasn’t his fault. Blame the Commanders’ special teams, and maybe blame Burkhardt, too.
In the first quarter, Aubrey was setting up for a 32-yard attempt when Burkhardt brought up how the former pro soccer player was having “historically the greatest season by a kicker ever.” Knowing the perceived power of superstitions and jinxes, Fox analyst Greg Olsen adamantly said, “I’m not talking about it. … We’re going to show [the kick], and we’re going to leave it be.”
After Aubrey’s kick got blocked, Olsen chastised Burkhardt on the broadcast, telling him, “I told you to stay away from it. We are not being the jinx. We are not having Cowboys fans come after us.”
Burkhardt has since issued a sincere apology to the hordes of superstitious Cowboys fans who may have been peeved at the Fox announcer for jinxing Aubrey.
Burkhardt tweeted on Monday: “I’m sorry for ruining Brandon Aubrey’s perfect season. Also, you’re welcome for the NFC East title and yesterday’s blowout win. Hopefully @gregolsen88 will be able to talk kickers with me again now.”
Dear @dallascowboys fans-
— Kevin Burkhardt (@kevinburkhardt) January 8, 2024
I’m sorry for ruining Brandon Aubrey’s perfect season. Also, you’re welcome for the NFC East title and yesterday’s blowout win. Hopefully @gregolsen88 will be able to talk kickers with me again now 😊
Sincerely,
KB (and all announcer jinxes all time)
Aubrey ended up missing another field goal attempt later in the game, hitting the left upright from 36 yards out, but he finally successfully converted a 50-yarder in the fourth quarter.
The ex-Birmingham Stallions kicker was 35-for-35 on field goals going into Week 18 but will finish the season with two unfortunate blemishes on an otherwise pristine stat sheet.
In some ways, Burkhardt, who will call Saturday’s wild-card playoff matchup between the Cowboys and Green Bay Packers, might have done Dallas a favor by getting the so-called announcer’s jinx out of the way in the regular season. If Aubrey gets a case of the yips in the playoffs à la Brett Maher last January, it’ll be all on him.
The Cowboys (12–5) play host to the Packers (9–8) at 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
