Kicker J.J. Molson, Green Bay Packers (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
On a March 13, 2024, conference call, when Houston Roughnecks head coach C.J. Johnson was asked why he retained placekicker J.J. Molson in training camp over USFL veteran Luis Aguilar, he claimed it was because of kickoffs.
“I just needed a little bit more distance in what we’re doing,” Johnson said. “Because of the kickoff rule, we kick it from the 20 yard line. I mean, it’s tough. I’ve got to get it kicked it down the middle, and I can’t corner kick it, either. So just the longer distances to kickoff; I just needed a little bit more distance.”
The Roughnecks signed J.J. Molson on February 27, 2024. Molson, a native of Montreal, Canada, had spent two seasons on the Green Bay Packers practice roster after beginning his NFL career as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Rams in 2020. Molson had appeared in 49 games from 2016 to 2019 at UCLA, converting 51-of-74 field goal attempts (69 percent) as a Bruin. The six-foot-one, 197-pounder also kicked off 266 times for 12,758 yards (63-yard average) and was awarded UCLA’s Tommy Prothro Award for outstanding special teams play in 2018.
Meanwhile, San Antonio’s KSAT News recently reported how a similar situation has occurred in the Brahmas training camp. According to Brahmas head coach Wade Phillips, the reason for keeping kicker Donald De La Haye (a.k.a. Deestroying) on the San Antonio Brahmas’ roster and sending Matt Amendola to waivers was because of distance.
“Donald has shown all the way through camp he has a tremendous leg. He’s very accurate as a field goal kicker, but you know kicking off from the 20 yard line, he has the strength to kick it way down the field, which gives us an advantage especially in the Alamodome where you don’t have any wind. We feel like he gives us a real plus on kickoffs.”
The UFL regular season is set to begin in two weeks. Both the Brahmas and the Roughnecks play their opening games on Sunday March 31, 2024, with the San Antonio Brahmas hosting the D.C. Defenders at 12:00 PM (ET) at the Alamadome, and the Houston Roughnecks hosting the Memphis Showboats at 3:00 PM (ET) in Rice Stadium.
