Nothing is ever simple when it comes to negotiating a contract for a star player, and for the Dallas Cowboys, that challenge extends even to their kicker, Brandon Aubrey. Despite being on a second-round tender contract worth $5.8 million for one year, the pressure to finalize a new deal with Aubrey is mounting — not for the Cowboys, but for Aubrey himself. The longer he remains unsigned, the more public perception is being shaped, and unfortunately, it’s not playing in his favor.
The situation has turned into a bit of a waiting game. The Cowboys have made an offer, and Aubrey’s camp has countered. However, there’s a glaring disconnect on the financial expectations. While the Cowboys’ offer would make Aubrey the highest-paid kicker in the NFL, just slightly surpassing Ka’imi Fairbairn of the Houston Texans, who earns $6.5 million annually, Aubrey is aiming for more. Reports have indicated that Aubrey wants a more significant pay raise—a figure as high as $10 million per year—though some sources dispute this figure, suggesting he’s asking for something less.
The Real Story: What’s Behind the Contract Negotiations?
As the offseason drags on, the negotiation process has become more frustrating for everyone involved. Adam Schefter of ESPN pointed out that the situation has been clouded by incorrect information being circulated, often based on incomplete details from both sides.
Aubrey himself weighed in on the situation during an appearance on “The Dumb Zone” podcast, where he clarified the misinformation surrounding his contract demands. “It’s been a lot of incorrect information, people clinging on to random numbers that have been thrown out,” Aubrey said. “There’s incomplete information dumped from both sides at this point, and people are trying to make this a story out of scraps of information that they don’t have details on.”
For Aubrey, the noise around the contract is a distraction from what really matters: his performance on the field. “I don’t care about all that. I just focus on kicking the football,” he continued. “If I have a good year, it will all take care of itself so that’s what I am going to focus on.”
Instagram Drama and Public Perception
The news of Aubrey’s supposed $10 million demand was first reported, and soon, it was all over Instagram. Aubrey admitted that the constant barrage of messages was overwhelming, with fans expressing their frustrations over his contract demands. “It’s all on Instagram,” Aubrey shared. “There was a time when I couldn’t open Instagram without 40 posts being the same thing about my contract. I was like, ‘I am not gonna use this app for a while.’”
The impact of the online drama went beyond Aubrey himself — it affected his wife as well. Jen, Aubrey’s biggest defender, was clearly bothered by the criticism and the spreading of false information. “She didn’t want people having an opinion based on false information,” Aubrey explained. “So, I think it got her really fired up, and she wanted to go take Instagram by storm and tell everyone how wrong they are.”
However, Aubrey had to hold her back. “I think I did a good job,” he said, “She’s not worried about it anymore.” But the constant online criticism continued to pile up, with hundreds of direct messages criticizing him for being “selfish” and “greedy.”
Aubrey and His Cowboys Future: A Positive Outlook Despite the Drama
Despite the tension and the ongoing contract dispute, Aubrey emphasized that he wants to be with the Cowboys and that the feeling is mutual. Both sides are eager to work out a deal, but the road to a resolution is still uncertain.
“We just wanted to let everyone know, just know that I want to be here in Dallas and the Cowboys want me here in Dallas,” Aubrey stated. “So, something will happen eventually.”
Aubrey’s determination to stay in Dallas has been unwavering, even amid the external noise. He has trusted the process, acknowledging that a deal will eventually come through when the time is right.
“I let her do that one. I did the same thing,” Aubrey added, referring to the moment when his wife stood up for him publicly. “At that point, it was so overwhelming, that felt like just turning the valve on a pressure cooker open a little bit to ease the pressure off of us. Because at that point, every time we looked at our phones, there were 100 DMs telling us how selfish and greedy we are.”
The Cowboys’ Next Move: Will They Secure Aubrey?
At the moment, the Cowboys hold the cards. Aubrey is still under contract on the second-round tender deal, meaning they have time before they must make a decision on his long-term future with the team. However, the sooner the Cowboys can finalize a deal, the better for both parties. Aubrey has proven himself as one of the best kickers in the league, and a fair contract that reflects his value is overdue.
Should he have another strong season, Aubrey’s price tag will only rise, and the Cowboys will need to secure him before his value exceeds what they are willing to pay. With other teams always on the lookout for top-tier kickers, the Cowboys need to strike quickly if they want to ensure that their star kicker remains in Dallas for the foreseeable future.
