FREEBURG, Ill. — From Freeburg, Illinois, to New York City.
Starting this season, Belleville West grad and former Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals kicker Austin Seibert had been helping Freeburg High School on special teams.
Seibert had been working with Freeburg's kickers in the summertime. He joined head coach Ronnie Stuart's staff and began working with the athletes and coaches.
"The progression from last year to this year is insane. Just working out with him and just listening to what he has to say is, it works," Neill Thompson said. "He knows what he's talking about."
That was until last week when he got a call during practice from the New York Jets.
"He gets a phone call and he kind of steps away and me and Coach Young are still talking and then he comes back up and he's like 'hey guys, sorry but I got to go catch a flight to New York. The Jets are going to have me try out,'" Stuart said. "We're like 'that's awesome man.'"
He ended up filling in for an injured Greg Zurlein in Dallas against the Cowboys. Seibert made a 34-yard field goal and an extra point in the Jets' 30-10 loss.
The Jets are set to play the New England Patriots at noon on Sunday, Sept. 24. As of Friday evening, Zurlein is listed as questionable and Seibert may be the starter for the Jets again.
Such is the life of a free-agent kicker.
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