Jason Sanders reveals what went wrong on botched Week 1 field goal attempt

When Aaron Glenn named Jason Sanders the New York Jets' Week 1 kicker last week, there were immediate red flags and sirens that went off in fans' heads.

It wasn't for no reason. Sanders didn't exactly inspire confidence in the Jets' preseason finale against the New York Giants, and the team even decided to release him as part of 53-man roster cuts. They even felt the need to add another kicker, claiming former Indianapolis Colts kicker Blake Grupe off waivers.

Regardless, it was still Sanders who got the nod in Week 1, and he immediately validated Jets fans' concerns with his second field goal attempt of the day from 54 yards out. Outside of Younghoe Koo's botched attempt against the New England Patriots in 2025, it may be the worst field goal try in the history of the NFL.

To Sanders' credit, he bounced back from this shank and would close out the Jets' Week 1 victory with makes from 51 and 52 yards out. Regardless, that miss is going to stick in fans' minds for at least a little while longer, and the former All-Pro knows he has to prove he's reliable again in Week 2.

Jason Sanders explains his shanked kick in New York Jets' Week 1 win

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt shared an exchange with Sanders on Friday, and the kicker explained what went wrong on that 54-yard attempt that went about as far left as an errant drive off the tee box from a casual golfer.

"Not much. Just tried to hit it too hard."

Jason Sanders

One of the biggest complaints about Sanders coming out of the summer was his lack of power. The former Miami Dolphins kicker didn't kick in 2025, as he recovered from a nagging hip injury, and that surely sapped some of the distance that made him an All-Pro in 2020.

Regardless, Sanders didn't let the miss affect him mentally, and that showed in his flawless second-half performance.

"The reality of kicking is, you're never going to be perfect and that's exactly what you look for in a guy is just like, how can he respond?"

Jason Sanders

Sanders was named the Jets' kicker for their Week 2 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, and it'll be his next chance to stave off Grupe in his attempt to continue his tenure in New York.

It won't be easy. Conditions in Northern New Jersey on Sunday are expected to be nasty, with a high chance of rain. Sanders will have to prove he's got what it takes to power through in less-than-ideal weather to keep on kicking for the Jets.

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