The acronym for the NFL is “not for long” and that is certainly the case with kicking specialists and there is no better example of that than the story of Justin Medlock.
Just last week when I emailed Justin about doing this story I congratulated him on getting signed with the Detroit Lions and later that day he responded by saying that he had been cut just a few days earlier. This is the life of an NFL kicker or punter.
Justin and I came out of college the same year and we have talked on quite a few occasions while we went through the NFL Draft process. I have witnessed the ups and downs he has endured over the last four years in chasing his dream of being an NFL kicker.
After a few years of going through the same journey as Justin, I saw my path was to be a kicking coach but I have always watched the specialists from my draft class with much interest including Justin.
This is Justin Medlock On A Specialists Path.
Justin got a late start as a kicker but made the most of his opportunities.
“I decided that I wanted to start kicking when I was a junior in high school”, Justin said.” I actually started thinking about it when I was a sophomore but coach denied me to be just be a kicking specialist so I continued to play soccer during that time.
“But in my junior year I decided that I could get a scholarship to play football. Problem for me was my high school won only one game and we only kicked like 6 field goals a year so I had to do some traveling to get noticed.”
Justin didn’t let his lack of exposure deter him from getting noticed as he was very successful in the kicking camp circuit and signed a full scholarship to UCLA.
After achieving the goal of a college scholarship Justin could have been content with a full ride to an elite academic institution but that was not the case. He saw an opportunity to continue his career in kicking and was drafted in the 5th round by the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Actually the goal for me was to just get to college”, Justin said. “But my junior year I realized that I had enough talent to pursue taking it to the professional level. I would say that in my career there have been many bumps along the road but I still continue to think that I am good enough to one day kick in the NFL again. Anyone that knows the NFL business knows that you need a little luck on your side and so far I think I haven't gotten the best luck.”
Part of making an NFL team can just be about timing and making the most of your opportunities. Justin was a high draft pick with the Chiefs but was not able to capitalize on the chance to be the Chiefs opening day starter and was released following the first game of the season.
After being released from the Chiefs, Justin has had stints with the St. Louis Rams, Toronto Argonauts, Washington Redskins, and just recently the Detroit Lions.
You could never fully describe the experience of being cut from an NFL team until you have experienced yourself. The highs and lows of the NFL were really starting to take their toll on Justin as he was emotionally drained from the process.
I think that every successful person in life has had someone there to help them along the way and for Justin it just happened to be Detroit Lions punter Nick Harris.
"Honestly there has been many difficult things in my life that I have overcome but athletically I believe that when I got cut from the Chiefs I was really down and upset with myself”, Justin said. “It felt like I couldn't kick well in my opinion for about 5 or 6 months. Then all of a sudden I started training with Nick Harris from the Lions and got my mind and game back.”
“I ended up signing with the Rams so I got to see how much my game had changed. I felt like I was kicking the best I have ever kicked but the problem was that I never got to kick a field goal in a game which means basically nothing”, Justin said. “I think the first time you get released is always a good learning experience and I have not let it get to me since.”
After getting released from the Rams Justin was signed by the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL and thought it was a really positive experience.
“I honestly loved Canada”, Justin said. “I thought they treated me just like any other athlete on the team but from a business aspect it is different because they would prefer a Canadian. Part of how an American can get to the CFL is by luck and by being a combo guy.
“In Toronto all I wanted to do was play because I hadn't played in a long time. So when I got to make kicks in front of crowds and know how much work I had put into my game was just lots of fun.”
After last season’s time with Toronto, Justin was signed by the Washington Redskins and had a real legitimate chance of winning the job until giving way to second year kicker Graham Gano.
Once Justin was released from Washington he was quickly picked up by the Detroit Lions and just was quickly released again.
When I think of Justin’s path as a kicking specialist it reminds me of the Theodore Roosevelt quote:
“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or when the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust, sweat, and blood; who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
Justin is certainly not a man on the sidelines in life and I hope that his trials and tribulations will eventually lead to long NFL career!
Visit: www.jameswilhoitkickingcoach.com
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