'We Need Brett!' Cowboys Cut Kicker Maher After Historically Bad Playoff? Coach Mike McCarthy's Answer

Brett Maher is making NFL history in all the wrong ways for the Dallas Cowboys. Could the team cut him this week?

Jeremy Brener | Jan 17, 2023

Everything went right for the Dallas Cowboys in their 31-14 Wild Card win at Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ... except for their kicking game.

Brett Maher set an NFL record during the game, kicking and missing on four consecutive extra-point attempts giving the Cowboys six points rather than seven on their first four touchdown drive this evening.

So ... as the Cowboys advance in the postseason ... might they cut Maher?

“We need Brett,'' coach Mike McCarthy said after the win. "We need to get him back on it. Get him ready to go this week. We need him.”

Maher had been exceptional in the regular season, sinking 50 of 53 extra points and connecting on 29 of 32 field goal attempts.

With the San Francisco 49ers on deck in the Divisional Round on Sunday, one point could make all the difference and the Cowboys may need to make a change at kicker before their next game.

With the playoffs in full swing, there are few players who could replace Maher, but the likeliest person to fill his shoes - should McCarthy (or his boss, Jerry Jones) change his mind - is Lirim Hajrullahu, the kicker Dallas cut during training camp.

Hajrullahu filled in for Greg Zuerlein in a game for the Cowboys last season, a 43-3 win against the Atlanta Falcons, where he made all five of his extra points.

It may be a bit drastic to change kickers in the middle of a playoff run, but bringing him in for a workout or signing him to the practice squad could at least be the fire Maher needs under his butt to get things back into gear.

Or ... maybe a "We need Brett'' pep talk will be enough.

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Published Jan 17, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.