The journey from Notre Dame’s soccer pitch to the top of the NFL’s pay scale is now complete. The Dallas Cowboys have given kicker Brandon Aubrey a new record-breaking four-year contract extension worth $28 million. This makes him the highest-paid kicker in NFL history. The deal also includes $20 million guaranteed and an average annual value of $7 million—below the $10 million per year Aubrey was reportedly seeking, but well above the $6.5 million that had set the previous market standard for top kickers heading into this offseason.

Talks about Brandon Aubrey’s contract got more serious over the weekend, according to Jeremy Fowler, a colleague of reporter Adam Schefter. He mentioned that Aubrey will earn $10 million in 2026.

Earlier, the Cowboys had offered him even less than $7 million per year but still planned to make him the top-paid kicker. In March, the Cowboys gave Brandon Aubrey a second-round tender worth $5.76 million. This meant he could talk to other teams, but Dallas still had the right to match any offer. If another team wanted to sign him, they would also have to give up a second-round draft pick, which made it harder for teams to go after him.

Interestingly, before the season began, the average salary for a top NFL kicker was approximately $6.5 million per year. Aubrey’s new deal demonstrates that the market for kickers has shifted upward once again, as teams are increasingly willing to pay a premium for elite specialists. But that’s the price you get after showing your consistency and caliber, and since joining the Cowboys in 2023, Aubrey has been nothing but consistent.

He has made at least 36 field goals in each of his three seasons with the Cowboys. Aubrey is very accurate from under 50 yards, making 92% of his kicks, and he also has strong leg power, allowing him to score from long distances. This momentum came in from Notre Dame, where he was shaped as a player.

Before becoming an NFL kicker, Aubrey was a standout soccer player for the Fighting Irish from 2013 to 2016. In 2013, he helped Notre Dame win a national championship. In his final season on the soccer pitch in 2016, he scored 9 goals in total across 21 games, an impressive feat for a defender.

He also became the team’s MVP and earned top honors like All-American and All-ACC selections. Overall, Aubrey finished his college career with around 15 goals in 76 games. He also captained the Dallas Texans SC, winning five State Cup titles between 2008 and 2010. All of it gave him a pretty solid start well before entering the NFL. But he is not the only Notre Dame player who made history in the NFL.

Notre Dame players are creating records in the NFL

When it comes to developing talent at the highest level, Notre Dame has always remained at the top. For years, they have shaped players who put up massive numbers in the NFL and have made an impact with their game. First up on the list is defensive end Justin Tuck, who became one of the first Notre Dame players in the salary-cap era to sign a major NFL contract.

In 2008, he signed a five-year deal worth over $30 million with the New York Giants. At that time, it was one of the biggest contracts for a defensive end who was not yet considered a top superstar pass rusher.

Then there’s wide receiver Golden Tate, who also made contract history but in a different way. In 2014, he signed a five-year, $31 million contract with the Detroit Lions. This deal made him one of the highest-paid slot receivers in the NFL at that time, showing how valuable he was in that role.

Last but not least, offensive guard Quenton Nelson, who created one of the biggest modern contract histories as a Notre Dame player. Back in 2022, he signed a four-year, $80 million extension with the Indianapolis Colts. This made him one of the highest-paid guards in NFL history and helped raise the market value for offensive linemen across the league.

Aubrey’s record-setting deal solidifies a new market for elite specialists, a trend Notre Dame’s pipeline seems uniquely positioned to capitalize on in the coming years.