Carli Lloyd showed that women can get a chance in the NFL

About a week ago, a video of the American soccer player Carli Lloyd kicking a 55-yard field goal went viral in a joint training session with the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens.

Apart from that, the World Champion midfielder also hit another 40-yard field goal. Because of that, some questions were raised about whether or not she would be able to become a NFL kicker.

People from all over the world started talking about it and the repercussion of what the 2015 best soccer player was able to do was gigantic.

Official invitation

According to Lloyd’s manager, James Galanis, the soccer player did actually receive an offer to become the first-ever female kicker in NFL history. This alone is already amazing.

Galanis spoke, in an interview, that there was an NFL team, which he said he preferred not to mention the name, who wanted her to play a preseason game for them. As more than 30 NFL teams would play on the same day, it became nearly impossible to discover which one made the offer.

Carli couldn’t play on that specific date because she had a game with the USA Women Nation National against Portugal. Currently, her focus is on soccer.

It appeared, however, that Carli would have declined the offer even if she did not have another match on the same day. And it is understandable, due to the lack of time to prepare and lack of training. But, according to her coach, it is something that she is thinking about for the future..

Impressing a Pro Football Hall of Famer

Lloyd’s kick called so much attention on social media and was such an amazing field goal, that even impressed Gil Brandt, former Player Personnel vice president for the Dallas Cowboys.

According to him, this proves that it will not take long before a woman finally breaks this barrier in the NFL and makes history as being the first one to receive a chance in this beloved American sport.

Apart from that, Brandt also said that if he was from the Bears, he would call her for a tryout, because of the great skill she has shown.

If we recall what happened last season with the Chicago Bears, his statement is completely understandable. The Bears had a lot of problems in the playoffs against the Eagles due to the terrible performances of their kicker Elliott Fry. It made so much difference that they decided to dismiss him this season.

Maybe Carli Lloyd could have done better than him..

A thing for the future

Some people are probably thinking that what Carli did was good, but not impressive. It is understandable. She was just at a training section with all the perfect conditions to kick the ball. And, of course, we all know that training is one thing, while the real game is a completely different matter.

During the training, she was able to kick alone, without pressure from the defensive line of the opponents. Apart from that, she also didn’t have the pressure of the game, with fans screaming or even being behind in the score.

However, pressure doesn’t seem to be a problem for the World Champion. Carli said she liked to feel the pressure, that she invited it and loved it. According to her, she lives for those moments, when people expect things from her. She also said that it all comes down to the mind and how you prepare it to feel the pressure.

Apart from what was said before, there are other things that interfere with her performance. Carli didn’t have the right techniques and didn’t know the rules in order to obey them. As we are well aware, these are aspects that make a total difference in the final result.

And Lloyd showed that she also knows that, that is why she decided to not accept the invitation to play a playoff game. But she also knows that in the future, it may be possible for her to jump from world football to American football. She is already 38 years old and her soccer career could be near an end.

Conclusion

Thinking about it, kicker is a great position for women to enter in the NFL world and find a place where they belong in this traditional sport in the United States,

Carli Lloyd has already achieved great things in soccer, conquering World Cups with the USWNT and serving as an inspiration to many girls around the US who had the dream to become soccer players. Now, even if she does not really cross the bridge between soccer and football, she may be an important part of a new era in the NFL.

The American Football League is already counting with a few ladies as coaches. It may not take them so long to accept them also inside the field. Also, if you’re interested in American Football and would like to start wagering, EnergyBet could be your go-to bookmaker.

You can check out some more general info on the bookie through the link above. It’s a complete review of this sportsbook made by betting experts. There are more options on this website as well, and it should be a good idea to go through their review articles. 

Kate Richardson is a contributor to American Football International. She writes about women in American football.