Brandon Aubrey knows better than most what it takes to turn elite soccer ball-striking into an NFL career, and that makes his view on Harry Kane's American football ambitions worth hearing.
Aubrey went from professional soccer defender to software engineer to USFL standout before becoming one of the NFL's best kickers.
Kane's long-standing interest in the NFL came up again during the World Cup in Dallas, and Aubrey did not dismiss the idea.
Asked about the possibility of Kane switching sports, Aubrey, in a YouTube video, said that he has the raw ability to give it a real shot.
"He's got a chance to be one of the all-time elite soccer players or football players, I guess. He's a fantastic striker of the ball, so that'll age gracefully as a kicker, and he has the talent if he wanted to do that."
Still, Aubrey added that Kane should stay in soccer for as long as possible. Even from his perspective, being England's top scorer is a more exciting job than kicking field goals.
Aubrey's path to the NFL is unique. He was drafted by Toronto FC in 2017 after playing college soccer at Notre Dame, but never made an MLS first-team appearance. He played in the USL before leaving the sport to become a software engineer.
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images
While working full-time, he trained as a kicker for three years. The USFL gave him a route back into professional sport with the Birmingham Stallions, and the Cowboys signed him in 2023.
Since then, Aubrey has become one of the NFL's top specialists. Dallas rewarded him with a four-year, $28 million extension worth $20 million guaranteed, making him one of the highest-paid kickers in league history.
Kane is not just a good finisher. He is one of the greatest strikers of his generation, England's record scorer, and a player whose entire career has been built around clean contact, repeatable technique and nerve under pressure.
That is why the NFL idea is not far-fetched. If Kane ever focused on kicking the way Aubrey did, there is every reason to think he could replicate, and perhaps even exceed, that path.
There would still be a learning curve: NFL timing, protection, snap-hold mechanics, hash marks, and kickoffs are different skills. Age would matter too, as Aubrey warned.
But Kane's ball-striking is already elite. If he ever chooses field goals over free kicks, Aubrey clearly believes the talent is there.
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