For the past ten or so years, Cleveland Browns Stadium has been a horror for kickers.
Twelve kickers have attempted and failed to duplicate Phil Dawson’s feat of booting footballs through the uprights along the lakefront since he did so in 2012. This is due to Northeast Ohio’s harsh weather. The list is now extensive enough to justify another manikin in a store, this time named after a kicker rather than a quarterback.
All of a sudden, there’s a serious contender for the gusty winds and unpredictable weather. The guaranteed kicker is Dustin Hopkins. The selected one, if you please. It seems that No. 13 is quite fortunate.
On Thursday, special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone stated, “He’s been a fantastic player for us.” He’s made a lot of kicks, which is fortunate, and the execution has been excellent. He’s done an amazing job for our team, in my opinion, and I appreciate his faith in our coaching staff, head coach, general manager, and owners.
It’s not just a bunch of kicks. A 55-yard field goal in Week 14 set a new franchise record for field goals kicked in a single season for the Browns, as they ended up winning against the Jaguars. Hopkins beat the aforementioned legend, Dawson, who made 30 field goals in 2008. Hopkins made 31 in total. Since then, Hopkins has added two more, making a total of 33.
Hopkins also set a team record with his eighth field goal of 50 yards or more this season with that same 55-yarder. In 2011, Dawson made seven of these kicks, the second to the last year he was in Cleveland.
With more votes for the Pro Bowl than any other AFC kicker, Hopkins has swept the league. It strengthens his argument that he is ranked first in the two previously mentioned categories (field goals made and field goals over 50 yards). With 121 points this season, he is also second in the overall point total. No, Cleveland truly does have a kicker; this is not a dream.
Ventrone stated, “I think he should really get every award you could get because he’s earned every kind of credit he deserves.” I believe he has earned it and done an excellent job. He’s been excellent for us, so.
Hopkins wasn’t even on the Browns’ radar four months ago. At the beginning of training camp, Cleveland had expressed unflinching faith in Cade York, a 2022 fourth-round choice. However, that confidence rapidly faded after York made just 50% of his field goals in preseason play.
With no other option, general manager Andrew Berry moved to acquire Hopkins from the Chargers in exchange for a seventh-round selection. The remainder is history, very literally, as Hopkins keeps making history despite the unpredictability of the weather.
Ventrone stated, “I believe that his workflow during the week, comprehension of his weekly strategy, and contact with me and the specialists have really been fantastic.” It’s difficult to visit the stadium on a Thursday since the offerings will vary greatly from Thursday to Sunday. The stadium undergoes constant renovations.
Those guys have been happy to just accept whatever the day brings and adjust accordingly. The wind this past week was unlike anything we’ve experienced thus far this season. Therefore, approaching the tunnel was very different from how it had been throughout the first 15 weeks of the year.
