The most numbing of the Browns’ roster cutdowns on Tuesday was the contract termination of kicker Dustin Hopkins.
So, their kicking woes, which have persisted since then “genius” club President Joe Banner refused to even negotiate with one of the top kickers in the game, Phil Dawson, and let him walk after the 2012 season, ramp up again.
Still.
Always.
And seemingly forever.
Sigh.
Ugh!
Arghhhh!!
Virtual unknown Andre Szmyt will be his replacement — at least for now.
The Browns probably won’t score many touchdowns this year. As such, then, they are going to need every goal that they can get to be competitive offensively and overall. Can they really expect Sxmyt to provide it?
That seems dubious at best.
With all the other issues this team is dealing with, they didn’t need this one to add to the list. But it’s been coming for a while. After a quick start in Cleveland a couple years ago, Hopkins struggled last year and then during training camp and the preseason.
Bubba Ventrone is supposed to be a great special teams coordinator. Well, let’s see it.
Steve King
Dustin Hopkins: Top Three Career Highlights
When it comes to NFL kickers, consistency and clutch moments define greatness. For Dustin Hopkins, his career has been marked by resilience, accuracy, and a few record-breaking performances. Let’s look at his top three highlights that stand out the most.
1. NFL Record: 50+ Yard Field Goals in Five Straight Games
In 2023, Hopkins etched his name into the NFL record books by becoming the first kicker in league history to make a 50+ yard field goal in five consecutive games. During this streak, he also booted a career-long 58-yard field goal, which doubled as a Cleveland Browns franchise record. That kind of range gave Cleveland fans a reason to believe whenever the offense stalled.
2. Back-to-Back AFC Special Teams Player of the Week Awards
Hopkins’s hot streak in 2023 earned him serious recognition. He was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in both Week 6 and Week 7, an impressive back-to-back honor. He nailed every kick in those games, going 4-for-4 on field goals and 3-for-3 on extra points in one, proving to be the Browns’ most reliable scoring option.
3. Career-Best Season in 2023
The 2023 season turned out to be Hopkins’s finest. He connected on 33 of 36 field goals (91.7%), including a perfect 8-for-8 from 50+ yards. With 123 total points, he was one of the top-scoring kickers in the NFL. His dominance earned him a 3-year, $15.9 million contract extension, placing him among the highest-paid kickers in the league.
Final Thoughts
From setting records to delivering in the clutch, Dustin Hopkins’s 2023 season was the pinnacle of his career so far. While the Browns’ offense has often struggled, Hopkins gave Cleveland fans something rare: confidence in the kicking game.
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