'If You Falter, There May Be No Coming Back' - Bengals' Darrin Simmons On Status of Kicker Cade York After OT Miss

Jay Morrison | Jan 1, 2025

Cincinnati Bengals place kicker Cade York (3) reacts as his field goal attempt is no-good in overtime of the NFL Week 17 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. The Bengals took a 30-24 win in overtime to remain in the post season chase. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Bengals special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons had a blunt message for Cade York when the team signed the kicker in wake of Evan McPherson’s groin injury:

“This is a great opportunity for you to go out and prove that you can play in this league, and you can be counted on to be dependable. It's either gonna go one of two ways: Either you're gonna excel or you're gonna falter. And if you falter, there may be no coming back.

“You're just at a spot where you've had a couple chances in your career, and before long the bell tolls.’”

Saturday night, it clanged.

With a chance to win the game in overtime, York banged a 33-yard field goal off the left upright in the 30-24 win against the Denver Broncos.

The miss could have cost the Bengals the game and snuffed their playoff hopes had the Cincinnati defense not come up with back-to-back three and outs to set up Joe Burrow’s game-winning touchdown pass to Tee Higgins.

The miss still could end up costing York his spot on the roster if he doesn’t bounce back from it.

“I think it's a week-to-week basis,” Simmons said when asked if the Bengals would ride with York for as long as their season lasts.

“I think it's something we'd have to take a peek at,” Simmons added. “Hopefully things go well this week, and we live to fight another day. Then that's a question for next week. As of right now, he’s, our kicker.”

Simmons remains hopeful that Evan McPherson can return if the Bengals find their way into the playoffs.

McPherson suffered a groin injury in the Week 14 loss to the Steelers and went on Injured Reserve, leading to the Bengals bringing in York.

A fourth-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2022, York went 24 of 32 as a rookie, including 5 of 9 in the fourth quarter and overtime.

The Browns cut York in August 2023, and he spent time with the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants.

Cleveland resigned him March 2024, then traded him to Washington in August. York missed two field goals in the Commanders’ season-opening loss, and the team cut him the next day.

He was a street free agent until the Bengals called.

York hit a franchise record 59-yard field goal two weeks ago against the Browns. But also missed a 47-yard field goal earlier in that game and missed an extra point against the Tennessee Titans.

Asked if the operation was good on the 33-yard miss in overtime against the Broncos, Simmons confirmed it was.

“Perfect,” he said. “Got a little overzealous, I think, and just pulled it. The operation was fine. The snap, the hold were perfect. He just missed the kick.

“I went to him after he missed that one and said, 'Hey, we've got to be ready to continue to go here. We could be right back in this situation again,’” Simmons added. “I felt like he was in a good spot. At the same time, I'm trying to make sure he's in a good mental state, a positive state that if it did come down to it, to execute it again.”

 Simmons’ message to York is forget the missed 33-yarder and focus on Saturday in Pittsburgh.

“The most important kick a kicker has is the next kick, and how he responds to a negative play,” Simmons said. “It's making the negative play into a good play. The thing you certainly don't want to see is to have it snowball on somebody. Then that's a direct reflection on what the mentality is or what their mental state is my mind.”

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