NFL legend JJ Watt has tipped Harry Kane to make it as a kicker in American football… but also pinpointed one key technique he will have to work on.
England captain Kane, 30, is a huge NFL fan and revealed back in October that making it in the sport is something he will “explore at a later date”.
Now he has received support from Houston Texans icon Watt, 35, who believes Tottenham’s all-time top scorer could successfully turn his hand to the NFL.
However, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year also insisted Kane will need to learn how to kick from a short run-up.
This is something he identified after watching Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero in a field goal competition during a pre-season tour.
Speaking to Stick to Football, Watt said: “I think with true proper dedicated training, I think Harry Kane could make it as an NFL kicker because I think that his skillset, obviously having kicked balls for his entire life, then you put him with a proper kicking trainer, it’s going to go well.
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“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.
“I did a field goal competition with Sergio Agüero 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.
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“And maybe a goalkeeper would probably be a better option because they have to do goal kicks.”
Back in October, Kane told ESPN: “Yeah the NFL thing, a lot of people have talked to me about that. I’ve said it’s something that I’d like to explore at a later date.
“But I think it all depends on where I’m at in my career, whether I’m happy to continue playing football. There’s a lot of questions marks.
“So it’s something that’s in the back of my mind but still a long, long way away so again it’s not something I’m thinking about right now.
“I guess time will tell and in life sometimes things just play out how they’re supposed to play out.
“We’ll see in five, six, seven years where I’m at and where I want to be and what I want to do and I’ll make that decision then.”
Kane has made a sensational start to his Bayern Munich career, scoring 39 goals in 38 games in all competitions.
But he is set to miss out on the Bundesliga title as Bayer Leverkusen have moved 16 points clear with just six games remaining.
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However, Bayern are still very much in the Champions League and Kane scored a penalty at the home of his old enemy Arsenal as the Germans earned a 2-2 draw in their quarter-final first leg on Tuesday night.
J.J. Watt was speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
