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The First Female Kicker To Try Out For The NFL Didn’t Do So Hot

Unfortunately for Lauren Silberman, who over the weekend became the first female to try out for the NFL at a regional combine, it doesn’t appear as if her kicking career has a future. And much as we’d like to throw a good job, good effort her way, her performance was neither of those things. In fact, the entire exercise was a bit awkward: Silberman didn’t tell combine officials about a quad injury, didn’t know how to properly balance the ball on a kickoff tee, didn’t stand far enough back for a kickoff attempt (six as opposed to 10 yards) and did not warm up, at all.

When it was her turn to kick, she booted two balls a total of 30 yards, combined. Then she mysteriously pulled out due to that unreported quad injury. Here’s one of those kicks:

Other competing kickers told USA Today that she asked them about the correct technique for approaching the ball, and Katie Hnida, the first female to score a point in Division I football as a kicker for New Mexico, also conceded that “she was terrible.” She goes on to note that her poor showing was the result of “experience and preparation,” or really lack thereof, and not gender related – which, of course, is the important point here.

[USA Today]