Fifty is the new 30, and it's not about age.

NFL kickers have improved significantly in recent years. It feels as obvious as ever this season, but the numbers have confirmed the eye test.

Through the first six weeks of the season, we recorded all-time highs in 50-yard field goal attempts (103), as well as scoring chances (77) and conversion rate (74.8 percent). Since 2019, kickers have almost doubled their attempts over 50 (55) and tripled their hits (29) in the first six weeks.

Looking at it another way, kickers are now as good from 50-plus games as they were from any distance in a single season before 1993, the first season in history in which teams cumulatively converted at least 75 percent of their field goals.

60-yarders are also more heavily armed. Since 1960, there have been 40 successful field goals of at least 60 yards. A staggering 33 of them (82.5 percent) have occurred since 2009, half of them since 2019.

With another 60-yard shot this season, it would be the fourth consecutive year with at least four such field goals. Prior to this stretch, the previous high in a single season was three in 2012, and there have only been four other seasons with a total of two 60-yard runners (2006, 2013, 2017, 2018).

John Carney, who kicked in the NFL from 1987 to 2010, opened Carney Coaching in California after his retirement to train specialists, so he has seen the kicking boom from two unique perspectives. He firmly believes this is no coincidence and that kicking will continue to improve across the board.

“I’m excited to see where this goes,” Carney said.

Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey, who trains with Carney, has made three from 60-plus yards since December, including a 65-yarder in Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens. Aubrey was poised to attempt a 71-yard throw in the regular season opener against the Cleveland Browns before head coach Mike McCarthy changed his mind and received boos from Browns fans who saw Aubrey break Justin Tucker's 66-yard rushing record wanted. (It's worth noting that Aubrey hit a 66-yarder in a preseason game.)

65-yard field goal by Brandon Aubrey 😱

The second longest field goal in NFL history 👏 pic.twitter.com/CcXC8j2gF0

— Sky Sports NFL (@SkySportsNFL) September 22, 2024

It's probably still just a matter of time.

“Someone is going to hit a 70-yarder at some point,” said a longtime special teams coordinator who was granted anonymity to speak freely about the intricacies of improved kicks.

There are countless reasons for the kick explosion, from training to equipment to networking. For this reason, this trend is viewed as a starting point rather than a destination.

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Cowboys second-year kicker Brandon Aubrey is performing at a “different level.”

Carney, who retired with the third-most points in league history, has had a firsthand look at kicking in the NFL for nearly four decades. After his retirement, he still trained with longtime kicker Nick Folk and professional kicker Steve Weatherford in his garage, but decided to open up a larger operation in a workers' camp-style gym for high school, college and professional kickers open. His NFL clients include Aubrey, Younghoe Koo, Tyler Bass and Jason Sanders, so he has experience training some of the game's best.

The improvements at the position started with coaching. There used to be few dedicated coaches for amateur kickers, and the NFL invested only a fraction of the resources in the position. Now athletes of all levels can find private trainers, off-season programs and camps, and trainers like Carney to keep them fit year-round – whether they're refining their mechanics or trying to stay in shape while doing the free- Complete agent workout circuit.

And then there is the technology. First of all, kickers can post their workouts anywhere on social media. That may sound trivial these days, but it's important for coaches – private, college or professional – who can watch a player with a click and determine whether he's worth taking a longer look at. This has expanded the available talent pool exponentially. And specifically when it comes to internal technology, kickers value the ability to slow down the repetitions of their kicks frame by frame to understand where they can find technical improvements.

The individual features are also clearly superior. Kickers used to wear kangaroo leather cleats, but have since switched to synthetic leather, which doesn't stretch, feels lighter and offers more support, has a better hole pattern and improves grip through traction.

The footballs themselves also played an important role. Because the NFL has given teams more time to condition the K-balls — balls used only for kicking — before games, kickers can customize them to their liking. It's far more conducive to success than simply grabbing a new ball from a plastic bag and hoping for the best.

“The product is finally in a condition and condition where it should be for kicking and punting, which shouldn't take anything away from those kickers,” Carney said. “These kickers and punters are sensational these days. I'm not saying they have a juice ball so everyone can do this. That's not it. These guys are phenomenal. But you're not going to tell me a Morten Andersen, a (Sebastian) Janikowski or a Jason Hanson – with their leg strength, skill and talent – that they wouldn't bomb some of those balls too. The ball plays a role, 100 percent.”

These kickers also have resource networks. First, the special teams coordinator said so many kickers have close relationships that they can call or text each other before the season or a game to get a better understanding of the elements and conditions in each stadium.

Secondly, there is a kind of coaching tree. When an NFL or college coach is looking for a kicker – recruiting, transfer portal, draft, free agent training – they can turn to a specialized coach for a recommendation.

Carney has an established track record. Jamie Kohl, private trainer and current consultant with the Carolina Panthers, has become one of the most trusted resources for coaches. Anyone looking for Australian flair certainly knows Nathan Chapman.

Essentially, it has become like any other successful company. If a coach trusts a coach to give an accurate assessment of a kicker, they will keep coming back for more recommendations.

“It’s like buying something online,” said the coordinator.

Let's not ignore the biggest factor in the kicking boom. Like any other position or major sport, players today are far superior athletes.

Today, trainers know that strength training goes far beyond squats and bench presses. Kickers need to work on explosiveness, balance, agility, agility, flexibility and range of motion. Coaches like Carney ensure their athletes focus on exercises like vertical, lateral and horizontal jumping while incorporating enough plyometrics and hip flexors. Balance is also crucial for performance.

And there is the recovery aspect. Carney laughed at the idea that there was essentially a cold tank and a hot pool. Now there are compression booths, cryotherapy, float tanks, Theraguns and compression shorts that increase blood flow after exercise while flushing out lactic acid. Add targeted supplements and science-backed diets, and athletes have a literal recipe for increasing production.

“Over the last 10 years, the attention given to recovery has tripled compared to my time in the NFL,” Carney said. “These are all things that are constantly evolving and taking athletes to new levels.”

Aubrey has quickly become the NFL's newest sensation. As a rookie last season, he led the league with 36 field goals (on 38 attempts), and he's on pace for an NFL-best 17-of-19 in 2024. Aubrey is 18-of-19 from beyond 50 , including 8-of-9 this season.

He has a distinguished soccer background, playing at Notre Dame before playing in the MLS. After a few years of training and a successful stint in the United States Football League, Aubrey got a chance with the Birmingham Stallions and parlayed it into a gig with the Cowboys.

Brandon Aubrey was a first-round MLS draft pick in 2017. Now he is the kicker for the Dallas Cowboys.

What happened?

Let @DMRussini explain ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/ITsAijjMlE

– The Athlete (@TheAthletic) December 11, 2023

Both Carney and the special teams coordinator noted that it typically takes a few years for kickers to break into the NFL. The demand for consistency is so great that someone like Aubrey would never break into the league based on his skill alone.

But what about the football background? Can teams copy the Aubrey strategy?

“To be honest, he’s a special case,” Carney said. “He's not just your average football player, he's obviously bloody talented and has always been known to have a very strong leg on the pitch. But there is more to the equation. He developed a great passion for football. He looked for good coaching. He was patient.

“He made a big splash in the NFL. I'm happy for him. The NFL is happy for him and it's great to see. In fact, scouts are currently running to the nearest football field looking for the next Brandon Aubrey.”

Aubrey is no revelation when it comes to football. Half a century ago, the NFL hosted kicking camps in Europe that included soccer players like Garo Yepremian. Carney estimates that 95 percent of current kickers have a background in soccer, even if they didn't reach Aubrey's level at Notre Dame or the MLS.

Tom Dempsey hit a 63-yard field goal in 1970, and the record stood until Jason Elam tied it in 1998. However, since Elam's walk took place at Denver altitude, it had an unofficial asterisk attached to it.

Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski joined the club in 2011, but his kicking also occurred in Denver. Matt Prater hit a 64-yarder in 2012, but that was another Rocky Mountain Rocket. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, usually considered the most physically talented kicker of his generation, finally broke the mark with a 66-yarder in Detroit in 2021.

Did that just happen?!?!

JUSTIN TUCKER 66-YARD FIELD GOAL FOR THE VICTORY! #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/LyHkSUiwk9

– NFL (@NFL) September 26, 2021

The length of the white whale was 63 meters. It felt like the magic number that couldn't be surpassed.

Now that the kickers are expanding their offerings at an unprecedented pace, it looks like Tucker's brand is a placeholder. And it might just be a footnote shortly after.

“I think there are kickers right now,” Carney said, “who can make it from 70 if the conditions are right.”

(Photo by Brandon Aubrey: Kevin Jairaj / Imagn Images)