Brandon McManus makes 70-yard field goal

Brandon McManus, who is competing for the Broncos' place-kicking job, made a 70-yard field goal in practice Tuesday. Chris Humphreys/USA TODAY Sports

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Brandon McManus makes 70-yard field goal
 ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos' battle at kicker took a long-distance turn in Tuesday's practice.

In a two-minute drill as the practice drew to a close, Brandon McManus pounded a 70-yard field goal through the uprights. Connor Barth followed with a 65-yard kick just minutes later.

McManus and Barth are each trying to be the Broncos' kicker for the coming season and have waged a close competition throughout camp. They've had moments when they've struggled, but Tuesday was not one of them.

McManus' kick cleared the crossbar with enough additional distance that even the Broncos' defense cheered the effort. Cornerback Bradley Roby, who had just rushed McManus on the play, hugged him after the ball sailed through.
Brandon McManus, who is competing for the Broncos' place-kicking job, made a 70-yard field goal in practice Tuesday. Chris Humphreys/USA TODAY Sports

"I actually told coach [special-teams coordinator Joe] DeCamillis that I could make this one," McManus said. "I don't know if he believed me or not, so I saw him smirk at me and he went over to coach [Gary Kubiak]. ... I just waited for them to make the call. I knew I could get it there, it was just whether -- it does look far away, I'll tell you that."

McManus said it was the longest field goal he had made, in practice, in an 11-on-11 team situation in his career. Former Broncos kicker Matt Prater holds the NFL record for the longest field goal in a regular-season game, a 64-yard kick against the Titans in 2013.

"I've hit 75 just off a stand, but snap, hold, kick, that's a lot different," McManus said.

McManus lost the job as the Broncos' place-kicker last season after a midseason slump that saw him miss three kicks in a five-game span. He was released after missing Nov. 23 in Miami, and Barth was signed.

Barth then made 15-of-16 attempts, including two five-field goal games, to close out the regular season.

The two have spent much of the offseason battling for the job this time around, and Kubiak has said it will be a "tough, tough decision."

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