There’s No Right Or Wrong Answer With Evan McPherson
Credit: Sam Greene via Imagn Images
Another week is in the books, and while you might think it’s going to be another week where I find myself saying, “Well, if we beat this team, and that team loses to that team, and if they tie with these three teams then the Cincinnati Bengals still have an 11% chance of making the playoffs…” I’m tired. I’ve changed my tune, I’m waving the white flag, and I’m closing the book on the 2024 season. It hurts to do it as the white flag doesn’t look nearly as sexy as the white helmets.
Every week the Bengals lose another heartbreaker, Who Dey Nation calls for someone else’s job, whether it be a head coach, coordinator, or even a player. This week’s “Public Enemy No. One” is none other than long-time fan favorite Evan McPherson.
It seems like just yesterday he was quoted on the sideline by Joe Burrow, right before the game-winning field goal in their Divisional Round match-up against the Titans, “Well, looks like we’re going to the AFC Championship.” McPherson followed that show of faith with a game-winning overtime field goal against the Chiefs that put the Bengals one game from the promised land.
This year hasn’t been exactly a dream season for the kicker, who just signed a three-year $16.5 million contract extension. Some would even say it’s been a nightmare season. In this season alone, the kicker formally known as “Money Mac” has missed an extra point against the Kansas City Chiefs in a game the Bengals would go on to lose by one. He missed a very crucial field goal attempt against the Washington Commanders. He missed a would-be game-winning field goal against the Ravens (though, that could easily have fallen on rookie holder Ryan Rehkow). I don’t need to remind anyone of the two field goals he missed this past Sunday, which were must-get points in the Bengals’ monumental comeback in Los Angeles.
Following the game, Ja’Marr Chase and Burrow showed their frustrations to the fourth-year kicker. Chase was quoted as saying “That’s why we paid him those bucks – to make those kicks.” When Burrow was asked what he would say to McPherson, he disappointingly said “Nothing.”
Not surprisingly, those might have been the kindest words spoken about McPherson on Sunday. Bengals Nation didn’t hold back, especially on Twitter.
Evan McPherson with the Chargers postgame pic.twitter.com/RwKCkcInUp
— Johnny Baboon (@shirts0) November 18, 2024
Evan McPherson with the game on the line: pic.twitter.com/uzx21GG7Qe
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) November 18, 2024
(For a behind-the-curtain look: In the time I went to look for a couple of examples to use for this article at 1:31 on a Wednesday, 36 new tweets came in that contained the word “Evan McPherson.”)
Obviously, many fans are calling for his job this week, and it’s totally understandable after a series of meltdowns and coming up short in big moments. McPherson is currently sitting at 3-for-7 from beyond 50 yards and 3-for-5 from 40-to-49 yards (On a positive note, he hasn’t missed from inside 40). To pull an example of The Discourse, Redditor @LOP5131 was quoted as saying, “$8.7m salary + $3.75m guaranteed= $12.45m over the next 3 years. Cut him and you’re looking at 2.4m salary + $3.75m for his guarantee and that is $6.15m over the next 3 years.”
Again, you get why this sentiment is in the air in Cincinnati, but the first question you have to ask in moments like these is, who’s the replacement? And taking a look at currently available kickers is like looking at the side of a milk carton: you’ve never seen these people.
Now, I know the theory is the Bengals are paying top-dollar much for a horrible performance, and if you’re going to get a bad kicking performance, you can just pay league-minimum. That’s true, but we can’t forget what McPherson is capable of, which probably isn’t true of some kicker off the street.
Last season, he was perfect from every attempt inside of 50 yards. The season before that he was perfect from all attempts past 50 yards! He has a cannon for a leg, even if he’s struggling this season. Those ups and downs are fairly normal for even elite kickers. In 2012, Mason Crosby was 9-for-12 from 40-to-49 yards and a horrible 2-for-9 from 50-plus. Crosby would go on to finish the season with a 63.6% field goal success rate.
But the Green Bay Packers never gave up on him, and he finished the rest of his career as the best kicker in franchise history. Now let’s look at Justin Tucker, arguably the best to ever do it. In his fourth year (Hey! Just like McPherson!), he went 4-for-10 from beyond 50. If you combine his third and fourth seasons, he went a combined 8-for-19 from beyond 50. I’d say he would go on to have a pretty good career afterward. (Let’s just not check on this year’s stats.)
While there might not be a right answer in this McPherson dilemma, there’s also not really a wrong answer, either. On one hand, you’re arguing the return on investment for his performance this season is unacceptable, but on the other hand, almost every kicker goes through a rough year and history shows they can bounce back. And remember, constantly riding the “Kicker Carousel” can be every bit as heart-breaking as your former rock letting you down. Randy Bullock, anyone?
Let’s just see what happens, huh?
Up Next