Former Auburn football placekicker Daniel Carlson did not have an easy start to his NFL career. After becoming the SEC’s all-time scoring leader on the Plains with 480 career points, Carlson was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2018. Carlson was the 167th overall pick, drafted in the fifth round, and was one of only two kickers to be drafted that year.
Carlson won the starting role for the Vikings, but after missing one field goal in regulation and two in overtime during a game in September, he was waived by the Vikings and swiftly replaced. He joined the Raiders that same season and went on to set a new team record for field goal completion percentage.
Since then, Carlson has remained with the Raiders and kicked off the 2021 season with a new career-long field goal. Clearly, the Minnesota Vikings acted a little quickly in dismissing the former Auburn football player.
It may have come back to haunt them in Week 2 after a missed field goal cost them the game. In the fourth quarter, Vikings kicker Greg Joseph missed a game-winning field goal and Auburn fans were more than happy to remind the Vikings of their mistake:
Remember when they cut Daniel Carlson lol
— D.J. Cone (@KingCone24) September 19, 2021
Man, they could really use a guy who is almost automatic from 55.
— bbmikej (11x Football Champion) (@bbmikej) September 19, 2021
They should get the raiders kicker..o wait
— Jason (@J_Tweet7) September 19, 2021
Don’t you wish you still had @DanielCarlson38? @Vikings
— Ben Hood (@hood_au) September 19, 2021
Daniel Carlson is kicking at 100 percent so far this season, going 6-6 on field goals and 5-5 on extra points. The Raiders’ next game is versus the Miami Dolphins this Sunday at 3:05 p.m. and Carlson will have a chance to continue his perfect kicking streak.