Standing nearly half a football field away, Cam Little faced a daunting challenge. Surrounded by more than a dozen offensive and defensive linemen blocking his view, he couldn't see the ball clear the crossbar. Yet, the moment his Jacksonville Jaguars teammates erupted in cheers, Little understood he had achieved something remarkable: a stunning 70-yard field goal that he initially believed would set an NFL record. Unfortunately for him, that record would not stand, as the kick occurred during a preseason game—a 31-25 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night.
“That means we just have to go out there and make it again in the regular season,” said Little, reflecting on the significance of his remarkable kick. The celebrations commenced as soon as the ball sailed through the air. Holder Logan Cooke lifted both arms in triumph shortly after the kick took flight. Little leaned forward, raising an arm in response to Cooke’s wide-eyed reaction, confirming the kick's success. Cooke enthusiastically encouraged Little to start the celebration, and rookie standout Travis Hunter greeted him on the field with an exuberant midair body-bump.
“I don’t think we’re necessarily going to be kicking 70-yarders in the first quarter or anything like that,” stated Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. “But it’s unbelievable to see him make that. That’s huge, especially in those two-minute drills. If you can get him near the 50, you got a really good shot. Having a guy like that is a weapon.”
Currently, the NFL record for the longest field goal is held by Baltimore’s Justin Tucker, who made a 66-yarder at Detroit in 2021. To date, eight kickers have attempted 70-yard field goals in regular-season play, yet none have succeeded. “Me and Logan were like, ‘We want to kick it. We want to kick it,’” Little recalled. “When he gave me the opportunity ... we went out there, and adrenaline’s a beautiful thing.”
Little’s kick appeared as though it could have been good from nearly 75 yards, clearing the bar with enough height for the ball boy to catch it cleanly. As a sixth-round draft pick from Arkansas in 2024, Little had already made a significant impact during his rookie season, successfully completing 27 of 29 field-goal attempts and converting all 27 extra points. His longest kick prior to this attempt was 59 yards, which tied the franchise record set by Josh Scobee.
Scobee, who retired in 2017, attended Saturday’s game but humorously informed Little that he missed witnessing the historic kick because he had gone to the bathroom. Despite the excitement, Little hadn’t even seen a replay of his successful kick half an hour after the game concluded. His phone buzzed incessantly with congratulatory messages and voicemails, leading him to apologize for being unable to reply promptly. He had a firm decision ready for anyone inquiring about the game ball: “Heck, yeah,” he asserted. “Are you kidding me ... That ball is staying with me. Canton, Ohio, can get another ball.”
