Pro Football Focus (PFF) has grown to become a leader in the analytical business over the last decade. Each day there is an article or social media post that publishes that questions the company’s ratings on players. Despite the consistent controversies, NFL franchises and colleges hire former PFF employees to their analytical departments, paving a way for these younger, passionate football fans to help billion dollar franchises succeed in a growing new market.

Just recently, PFF posted an article titled: “PFF Awards 2024: Brandon Aubrey wins Best Special Teamer” which NFL and Senior Analyst Gordon McGuinness discussed how the Dallas Cowboys placekicker was the best in the NFL in 2024. McGuinness and his team ranked Aubrey with a 95.8 field-goal grade, the highest grade ever in the PFF era. He mentioned how the 29-year-old former USFL and soccer athlete is automatic from a distance and has a truly “unmatched ability” to convert from beyond 60-yards, which ultimately gave him the edge.

Over the past several years, our very own Dave Schofield has created a series aimed at critiquing PFF’s player grades, reflecting his long-standing dissatisfaction with their evaluations. This article will once again highlight the dissatisfaction of PFF and their grading, but from my perspective as Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey should not have been named the “Best Special Teamer”. The titled should have gone to Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell, who led the entire NFL in total points (158) and had a 93.2 field goal percentage.

When comparing Boswell’s 2024 statistics to Aubrey’s, it is clear that Boswell won in every category except the longest field goal distance.

Boswell: 93.2% FG % | 41-44 Field Goals Made/ Attempted | 158 Total Points (1st in NFL) | 100% XP % | 57 Long (Tied-15th in NFL)

Aubrey: 85.1% FG % | 40-47 Field Goals Made/ Attempted | 150 Total Points (Tied 2nd) | 100% XP % | 65 Long (1st in NFL)

As McGuinness previously mentioned, his automatic distance from 60-plus yards was the sole factor in moving Aubrey ahead of Boswell and other kickers in the NFL, but should this matter? Outside weather and other factors play a vital role on if the head or special teams coach wants their kicker to attempt a long field goal. Not only that, when Aubrey made his 65-yarder this past season, it was in a Dome, specially Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium. Should that matter when analyzing kickers and their overall field goal distance? Boswell’s long of 57-yards was at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, which was outside. This is just a thought I had as Boswell’s statistics other than the field goal distance beat out Aubrey in every single category.

The good news is that McGuinness did mention Boswell’s name when describing PFF’s thought process for selecting Aubrey as the top special teamer. He said,

Aubrey faced stiff competition for the title of the NFL’s best kicker in 2024, with Pittsburgh’s Chris Boswell nipping at his heels. Boswell posted an impressive 92.3 PFF field goal grade compared to Aubrey’s 95.8 and boasted a higher overall field goal percentage. However, Aubrey’s unmatched ability to convert from beyond 60 yards — he was the only kicker to nail multiple field goals from that distance this season — gave him the edge. Aubrey’s 95.8 PFF field goal grade wasn’t just the best in the league this year; it set a new benchmark, marking the highest field goal grade ever recorded in PFF’s database, which dates back to the 2013 season.

Honestly, if we are judging kickers based solely on distance made and not overall statistical performance throughout the entire season, then Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass should be on the list as he had a long of 61 yards and went 1/1 from 60-plus this season, 100% accuracy from distance compared to Aubrey’s 2/4 or 50%. Wait… not only Bass but how about New England Patriots kicker Joey Slye, who nailed a 63-yarder this year (2nd in the NFL) and has the same percentage from 60-plus yards out as Aubrey does, 1/2 or 50%.

While PFF has the right to crown whoever they deem the top player at any position, the issue lies in the discrepancy between their rankings and how easy it is for the average fan to compare statistics. Often, the athlete with superior on-field results appears to be overlooked in favor of another who may have struggled. For instance, Aubrey was labeled ‘automatic’ from 60+ yards despite a less-than-perfect success rate (2/4, 50%). The true definition of ‘automatic’ implies 100% accuracy, suggesting a subjective interpretation of the term by PFF and their company.

Discussion: We’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject down in the comment section below.