Daniel Carlson’s resilience paying off with the Raiders
Daniel Carlson’s game-sealing field goal for the Raiders was a testament to his guts.
It’s easy to forget that Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson was once the center of attention for being un-clutch and a reason for his team’s defeat. Coming out of Auburn, making a PAT was effortless for Carlson as he never missed one and left as the all-time leading scorer in SEC history. A tantalizing stat and worthy of a team spending a draft pick on him — and that is just what the Minnesota Vikings did.
As a rookie, he beat out Kai Forbath for the starting job in Minnesota. In his first game, the PATs continued to fly through and he converted his first-ever field-goal attempt as the Vikings defeated San Francisco. All was looking well for the young kicker. Then came Week 2.
A 29-29 tie against the division-rival Packers, a game that included a missed field goal in regulation and two misses in overtime by Carlson, was enough for Mike Zimmer to send the kicker out the door in favor of former Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey. The cold truth of the NFL set in for Carlson. Either get it done or you are not employed any more.
Daniel Carlson proving his mental fortitude succeeding with the Raiders.
Then in October, he was given another chance with the then-Oakland Raiders. Donning the No. 8 that was famously worn by Hall-of-Famer Ray Guy, Carlson seemingly turned back into his old college self that was so reliable for the Tigers.
Carlson was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after making two extra points and three field goals, including a 35-yard game-winner, in a Week 11 win over the Cardinals that year. He converted 94 percent of his field-goal attempts, a team record for the silver and black.
Heading into the 2020 season, he switched from No. 8 to No. 2, which has not been a great omen for Raiders fans given their experiences with JaMarcus Russell. On Monday Night Football in Week 2 against the Saints, however, Carlson proved his resilience once again. His 54-yard field goal in the fourth quarter clinched the win to move Las Vegas to 2-0 on the season.
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Everyone deserves a second chance to prove themselves. Carlson got it and it looks like he is making the most out of it, something head coach Jon Gruden and all of Raider Nation are happy with.