Explained: How Harry Kane can become an NFL kicker as Burnley stakeholder JJ Watt backs Bayern Munich striker to pursue alternative football career

England captain Kane has never shied away from the fact that he would like to try his luck in the American form of the game at some stage. He is a big NFL fan and appears to boast the skill set required to transition from one sport to another.

Watt, who is a gridiron legend, believes that Kane is capable of treading that path. He is, however, eager to point out that the kicker position is not as easy as some may think and that even those with the requisite technical ability would need to work hard on learning the craft before breaking into the big time.

Watt, who is a now a minority stakeholder at Burnley alongside his ex-USWNT star wife Kealia, has – speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet – said of a Premier League icon swapping goal scoring for place kicking: “I think with true proper dedicated training, I think Harry Kane could make it as an NFL kicker because I think that his skill set, obviously having kicked balls for his entire life, then you put him with a proper kicking trainer, it’s going to go well. I don’t want to diminish the job of a kicker because it’s an extremely difficult job, but somebody that does it at the highest level like Harry has with proper training, I do think he’s good at it.”

Watt added: “I did a field goal competition with Sergio Aguero in America when Manchester City came over for a pre-season tour, and he was phenomenal, making 65-yard field goals. The only difference is that he would have taken a long run-up, whereas in the NFL, you get 1.2 seconds from the time the ball is snapped, so you’ve got to take a two-step run-up and kick it, but he was pounding the ball through the upright. Justin Tucker is the best kicker in NFL history, so I’m not saying that Harry Kane can be that, but I do think that Harry could possibly, with three years of intensive everyday training, make an NFL roster, one of 32, because he’s had to do it his whole life. And maybe a goalkeeper would probably be a better option because they have to do goal kicks.”

Kane will not be chasing the American dream any time soon, as he still has plenty of competitive football left in him. The 2023-24 campaign has been a frustrating one at Bayern Munich, despite his impressive goal return, but he is tied to a contract in Germany through to 2027 and is still only 30 years of age.