Life frequently takes us down unexpected pathways that lead to successes where we least expect them to. Such a turn of events occurred in the career of former soccer star Brandon Aubrey, who decided to turn his focus to becoming a dominant player in American football. This unorthodox choice paid off handsomely, as he left his mark on the Dallas Cowboys record books and became the first kicker to ever successfully make a 60- and 59-yard field goal in the same game.

While everyone celebrates Aubrey’s most recent accomplishment, it also makes us examine his stunning professional journey and wonder if any other soccer players have followed in Aubrey’s footsteps and successfully entered the NFL. 

Soccer players who went to play in the NFL

Here is the list of players who somehow started kicking American football after enjoying soccer: 

1) Obed Ariri

He was the first Nigerian to play in the NFL. His soccer player journey started after being scouted by Clemson University, but the college’s football team coach signed him as a kicker, where he played two seasons in the NFL.

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2) Chris Bahr

Bahr used to play as a midfielder in the North American Soccer League, plying his trade for the Philadelphia Atoms. However, he switched football codes in 1976 and played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Oakland Raiders, and San Diego Chargers.

3) Matt Bahr

He played for two North American Soccer League sides, the Colorado Caribous and Tulsa Roughnecks, and competed at the second-division American Soccer League side, the Pennsylvania Stoners. Later, he started his NFL journey in 1979 and played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, and New England Patriots.

4) Toni Fritsch

The former Austrian is the only player to win titles in soccer with Austria’s Rapid Vienna and the Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys. Aside from this, he also played for the San Diego Chargers, Houston Oilers, New Orleans Saints, and Houston Gamblers.

5) Florian Kempf

Kempf was a soccer player for the American Soccer League’s Pennsylvania Stoners and the NASL’s Philadelphia Fury. The former placekicker had four NFL seasons with the New Orleans Saints and Houston Oilers.

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6) Josh Lambo

Started as a goalkeeper for FC Dallas, Lambo retired from soccer at 21 and played for eight seasons in the NFL for the San Diego Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars, as well as two short stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad and the Tennessee Titans.

7) Tony Linhart

The Austrian played for Austria’s domestic sides, Wiener Sportclub, First Vienna FC, and the national soccer team as well. But he joined the NFL in 1972 and played for the New Orleans Saints, the Baltimore Colts, and the New York Jets.

8) Horst Muhlmann

After playing for Germany’s Schalke 04 and the NASL’s Kansas City Spurs, he moved to the NFL and represented the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles.

9) Neil O’Donoghue

The 6’6 kicker first played soccer for Dublin side Round Towers GAA. Then, he played for the NFL franchise, the Buffalo Bills, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the St. Louis Cardinals.

10) Brandon Aubrey

The NFL record-breaker played for the MLS side Toronto FC and the ASL’s Bethlehem Steel FC. However, after working with Mississippi State for two years, he was drafted by the Birmingham Stallions in 2022, and now he is playing for the Dallas Cowboys.

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