Dan Bailey (born January 26, 1988) is an American former professional
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
player who was a
placekicker
In gridiron football, the placekicker (PK), or simply kicker (K), is the player responsible for attempts at scoring Field goal (football), field goals and extra points. In most cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist ...
in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL). He played
college football
College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
for the
Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Oklahoma State Cowboys and Cowgirls are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University, located in Stillwater. The program's mascot is a cowboy named Pistol Pete. Oklahoma State participates at the National ...
and signed with the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
as an
undrafted free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
in 2011. Bailey spent seven years in Dallas, where he became the franchise's all-time leader in field goals made. Bailey also played for the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
.
Early years
Born in
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...
, Bailey grew up in
Mustang, Oklahoma, and attended
Southwest Covenant School where he was an all-state, all-conference kicker and a first-team all-city punter (as selected by ''
The Oklahoman
''The Oklahoman'' is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma, United States, and is the only regional daily that covers the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, Greater Oklahoma City area. The Alliance for Audited Media (formerly Audit Bureau Circul ...
''), while playing
eight-man football
Eight-man football is a form of gridiron football, generally played by high schools with smaller enrollments. Eight-man football differs from the traditional 11-man game with the reduction of three players on each side of the ball and a field wid ...
.
As a senior, Bailey had 51
touchback
In American football, a touchback is a ruling that is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead on or behind a team's own goal line (i.e., in their end zone) and the opposing team gave the ball the momentum, or impetus, to travel ...
s in 61
kickoffs. He holds the high school state records for longest
field goal
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. Consequently, ...
(50 yards), most
field goals
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. Consequently, a ...
in a season (seven) and career (14). Bailey was also an individual state champion golfer. He graduated from Southwest Covenant in 2007 and was named
valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title for the class rank, highest-performing student of a graduation, graduating class of an academic institution in the United States.
The valedictorian is generally determined by an academic institution's grade poin ...
.
College career

Bailey originally accepted to walk on at
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States. It is the Flagship campus, flagship campus of the University of Arkan ...
, in order to receive an academic scholarship that would cover his tuition. After losing the competition for the starting
kicker job, Bailey was approached by head coach
Houston Nutt and was told that he would have to pay his own way, so Bailey would not count toward the team's scholarship limit. Forced to leave the school, he spent a year out of college before walking on at
Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma State University (informally Oklahoma State or OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States. The university was established in 1890 under the legislation of the Morrill Act. Originally known ...
.
As a true freshman in
2007
2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year.
Events
January
* January 1
**Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...
, Bailey made 20-of-20
extra point
Extra, Xtra, or The Extra may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Film
* The Extra (1962 film), ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film
* The Extra (2005 film), ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film
Literature
* Extra (newspaper), ...
kicks but only two-of-four
field goal
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. Consequently, ...
s. He made field goals from 27 and 28 yards and missed two attempts beyond 40 yards.
Until the
2008 Holiday Bowl, Bailey made 10 consecutive field goals in his second year (
2008
2008 was designated as:
*International Year of Languages
*International Year of Planet Earth
*International Year of the Potato
*International Year of Sanitation
The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...
). With a 78.9% field goal conversion rate (15-for-19) on the season, he was second in the
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. It consists of 16 full-member universities (3 private universities and 13 public universities) in the states of Arizona, Colorado, Florida ...
in field goal percentage. Bailey made a career-long 45-yarder in the 2008 Holiday Bowl, a 42-31 loss to
Oregon
Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
.
Bailey made 46-of-46 extra point attempts and 13-of-18 field goals in
2009
2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
as a junior.
In the October 17 game, a 33–17 victory over
Missouri
Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
, he made 4-of-4 field goals, including a career-long 51-yarder.
In
2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
, Bailey made 24-of-28 field goals and 65-of-66 extra points. He won the
Lou Groza Award
The Lou Groza Award is presented annually to the top college football placekicker in the United States by the Palm Beach County, Florida, Palm Beach County Sports Commission. The award is named after former Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland Browns ...
for the nation's top
kicker following the season. Bailey earned the Big 12
Special Teams Player of the Year award. Oklahoma State won the
December 2010 Alamo Bowl 36–10 over
Arizona
Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
, and he made three of three field goals in that game: from 40, 50, and 44 yards.
Collegiate statistics
Professional career
Dallas Cowboys
2011 season
Bailey was signed by the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
as an
undrafted free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
following the
2011 NFL draft
The 2011 NFL draft was the 76th installment of the annual National Football League draft, NFL draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players. Like the 2010 draft, the 2011 draft was held at Rad ...
on July 25. At one point during
training camp
A training camp is an organized period in which military personnel or athletes participate in a rigorous and focused schedule of training in order to learn or improve skills. Athletes typically utilise training camps to prepare for upcoming events ...
, he had to compete with three other
place kickers who included
David Buehler,
Shayne Graham and
Dave Rayner. Bailey was named the team's kicker at the end of the preseason, with Buehler remaining on the roster as the kickoff specialist.
During a Week 2 27–24 road victory over the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
, after missing a chip shot attempt in the first quarter, Bailey made a 48-yard field goal to send the game into overtime, and the eventual game-winner from 19 yards. In the next game against the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
, Bailey tied a rookie record by converting six
field goal
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. Consequently, ...
s, accounting for all of Dallas' points during the 18–16 victory. This was the first time since
2001
The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...
that the Cowboys won a game without scoring a
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Scoring a touchdown grants the team that scored it 6 points. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchd ...
and the sixth in club history. Bailey became the third rookie in
NFL history to make six field goals in a game, following in the footsteps of
Garo Yepremian, who converted six-of-eight attempts on November 13, 1966, for the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
, and
Jeff Reed, who made all six tries on December 1, 2002, for the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
. This performance earned Bailey
NFC Special Teams
In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their position. Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...
Player of the Week honors.
During a Week 11 27–24 overtime road victory over the Redskins, Bailey kicked his second game-winning field goal, a 39-yard kick in
overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:
*by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society) ...
. Two weeks later on the road against the
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...
, he missed a potential game-winning 49-yard field goal. With the game tied 13–13, with six seconds left in the fourth quarter, Cowboys
head coach
A head coach, senior coach, or manager is a professional responsible for training and developing athletes within a sports team. This role often has a higher public profile and salary than other coaching positions. In some sports, such as associat ...
Jason Garrett
Jason Calvin Garrett (born March 28, 1966) is an American former professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL). He was most notably the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 2010 to 2019.
Garrett played college f ...
called a timeout before the snap, but Bailey's kick was good. Following the time-out, Bailey kicked the field goal short and to the left, leaving many Cowboys fans frustrated, convinced Garrett had just
iced his own kicker. In overtime, the Cardinals won 19–13 on a touchdown by
LaRod Stephens-Howling. In the next game against the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
, Bailey's first attempt at a game-tying 47-yard
field goal
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. Consequently, ...
was interrupted when Giants coach
Tom Coughlin called a time-out, effectively icing the kicker. Bailey's first kicked ball went through the uprights, but Giants
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
Jason Pierre-Paul blocked Bailey's kick after the Giants' timeout and the Cowboys lost by a score of 37–34.
Bailey had one of the best kicking seasons in franchise and league history by a rookie, making 32-of-37 (86.5%) field goals, second-highest kicking percentage for a rookie, setting a Cowboys rookie record for most field goals made in a game (6), tying
Chris Boniol for the second-most consecutive field goals made (26) in club history, and was named to the
Pro Football Writers Association
The Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA), sometimes known as Pro Football Writers Association, is an organization that purports to be " heofficial voice of pro football writers, promoting and fighting for access to NFL personnel to best serve ...
All-Rookie team.
2012 season
During a Week 3 16–10 victory over the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...
, Bailey converted three field goals from distances of 32, 26, and 22-yards. His last field goal in the game put Dallas up 16–7, a two-possession lead with 2:47 left. Three weeks later, the Cowboys lost to the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
by a score of 31–29 after Bailey missed a last-second, 51-yard field goal. With 32 seconds left,
Tony Romo completed a four-yard touchdown pass to
Dez Bryant, but because the following
two-point conversion failed, Bailey had to make an
onside kick. Dallas recovered the kick, but Bailey's 51-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right with six seconds remaining.
During a Week 7 19–14 road victory over the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
, Bailey kicked 28 and 38-yard field goals within the final four minutes. During a Week 11 23–20 overtime victory over the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
, he made the game tying 32-yard field goal with two seconds left in regulation and the winning 38-yard field goal in overtime. Three weeks later against the
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
, the Cowboys were trailing 19–10 with 6:35 left but made a fourth quarter comeback, which consisted of a touchdown pass by Romo and a last-second 40-yard field goal by Bailey and the Cowboys narrowly won on the road by a score of 20–19. In the next game against the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
, Bailey hit a game-winning 21-yard field goal following a 36-yard
interception
In Ball game, ball-playing Competitive sport, competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for ...
return by
Brandon Carr. The 27–24 overtime victory kept the Cowboys' postseason hopes alive.
Bailey finished his second professional season converting all 37 extra point attempts and 29 of 31 field goal attempts.
2013 season
In 2013, Bailey set the franchise record for most field goals over 50 yards for a single season (6) and a career (11). He finished the season converting all 47 extra point attempts and 28 of 30 field goal attempts.
2014 season
On January 23, 2014, Bailey and the Cowboys agreed on a new seven-year contract, which was reported to be worth
$22.5 million with a $4 million signing bonus and a total of $6.6 million in guaranteed money.
During a Week 3 34–31 road victory over the
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1995 through the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, California, where the team had played ...
, Bailey set a franchise record with his 28th consecutive field goal, making a 40-yard attempt in the third quarter. Two weeks later, Bailey missed a potential game-winning 53-yard field goal against the
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...
at the end of regulation, breaking a franchise record streak of 30 consecutive makes dating back to the previous season. However, Bailey kicked the game-winning 49-yard field goal in overtime giving the Cowboys a 20–17 victory. In the next game against the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
, he became the most-accurate kicker in NFL history with a 42-yard made field goal in the second quarter of the eventual 30–23 road victory. Bailey has since dropped to 12th on the all-time list, on which the top six players are all currently active.
Bailey finished the 2014 season converting all 56 extra point attempts and 25 of 29 field goal attempts.
2015 season
Bailey moved into second place in franchise history with 182 career extra points, passing
Mike Clark after making three in the narrow season-opening 27–26 victory over the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
.
During a Week 13 19–16 road victory over the Redskins on ''
Monday Night Football
''Monday Night Football'' (often abbreviated as ''MNF'') is the branding used for broadcasts of National Football League (NFL) games that air on Monday nights. It originally ran on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from 1970 NFL season, 1970 t ...
'', Bailey made four of four field goals, including a game-winning 54-yard field goal. This performance earned him his second
NFC Special Teams
In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their position. Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...
Player of the Week award.
Bailey was selected to his first career
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
after making a career-high 93.8% of his field goal attempts, including being perfect (19-for-19) from 39-yards or closer. After the NFL decided to move back the extra point distance from the two-yard line to the 15-yard line, Bailey responded by making a perfect mark of 25-of-25.
2016 season
During the narrow season-opening 20–19 loss to the Giants, Bailey made four field goals and connected on field goals of 54 and 56-yards. During a Week 6 30–16 road victory over the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
, he made three field goals, marking his 23rd career game with three or more field goals made, which is the most in team history. During a Week 15 26–20 victory over the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...
, Bailey kicked six field goals, making four and missing two. These misses marked the second occasion of his career that he had missed two attempts in a game; the previous occasion had been in 2011.
Bailey finished the 2016 converting all 16 extra point attempts and 27 of 32 field goal attempts.
2017 season
Bailey recorded his 28th career game of three or more made field goals by converting all four attempts in the season-opening 19-3 victory over the Giants on ''
NBC Sunday Night Football
''NBC Sunday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''SNF'') is an American weekly television broadcast of National Football League (NFL) games on NBC and Peacock (streaming service), Peacock in the United States. It began airing on August 6, 2006, w ...
''. In the next game against the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
, he tied his career long with a 56-yard field goal during the 42–17 road loss. The following week against the Cardinals marked just the 10th game in Bailey's career in which he did not attempt a field goal. During a Week 7 40–10 road victory over the 49ers, Bailey suffered a groin injury.
Bailey returned in time for the
Thanksgiving game against the
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC W ...
but would struggle in the following weeks. During a Week 14 30–10 road victory over the Giants, he missed two
field goal
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. Consequently, ...
s and an
extra point
Extra, Xtra, or The Extra may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Film
* The Extra (1962 film), ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film
* The Extra (2005 film), ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film
Literature
* Extra (newspaper), ...
. Two weeks later against the Seahawks, in a game the Cowboys needed to win to keep their playoff aspirations alive, Bailey made a 51-yard
field goal
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. Consequently, ...
after hitting the left upright and missed two additional
field goal
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. Consequently, ...
s, which could have helped the team stay closer in an ultimately season-ending 21–12 loss. In the regular-season finale against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
, Bailey missed an
extra point
Extra, Xtra, or The Extra may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Film
* The Extra (1962 film), ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film
* The Extra (2005 film), ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film
Literature
* Extra (newspaper), ...
and a
field goal
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. Consequently, ...
during the 6–0 shutout road victory.
Before his injury, Bailey had been the most accurate kicker in
NFL history among players with at least 100 attempts, but fell behind
Justin Tucker
Justin Paul Tucker (born November 21, 1989) is an American professional football kicker. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns and signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2012, spending 13 seasons with the ...
. Bailey converted 15-of-20 field goals (75%) and 26-of-28 extra point attempts (92.9%) during the season.
2018 season
Although Bailey was coming off his worst season, his September 1 release by the Cowboys was nonetheless considered a surprise move, after the team decided to keep
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...
journeyman
Brett Maher, who had a solid preseason (including a 57-yard field goal) yet had never kicked in an
NFL regular-season game. Bailey had made his only attempt in the preseason (a 35-yard field goal).
The team saved $3.4 million against the
salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap (or wage cap) is an agreement or rule that places a limit on the amount of money that a team can spend on players' salaries. It exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both. Seve ...
with the move. Bailey left the Cowboys as the second-most-accurate kicker in NFL history (88.2%). He also holds the Cowboys' record for most consecutive extra points made (275), most consecutive field goals made (30) and career field goals (186).
Minnesota Vikings
2018 season
On September 17, 2018, the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
signed Bailey to replace rookie
Daniel Carlson after Carlson missed three field goals during
a Week 2 game against the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
. Bailey would go on to have another poor season, converting just 21 of 28 field goal attempts (75%), including only five of 11 attempts (45.4%) from 40 yards or more – this reduced productivity matched the previous year, as his percentage of overall field goals made was exactly the same.
2019 season
On March 19, 2019, Bailey re-signed with the Vikings. He struggled during the preseason, forcing the Vikings to trade a fifth-round draft pick to the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
in exchange for kicker
Kaare Vedvik
Kaare Vedvik (; born March 16, 1994) is a Norwegian professional gridiron football placekicker and punter. He most recently played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Marshall and sig ...
. Bailey would end up winning the kicking competition and Vedvik was released on August 31.
During a Week 5 28–10 road victory over the Giants, Bailey converted all four field goals and both extra points, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Three weeks later against the Redskins, he made four field goals and an extra point in the 19–9 victory en route to another NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award. During a Week 15 39–10 road victory over the Chargers, Bailey converted all four field goal attempts and three of four extra point attempts. He earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for the third time for his performance.
Bailey had a rebound season, re-establishing himself as a notable placekicker, converting 27 of 29 field goals (93.1%), although he had a career-low average in extra points, making 40 of 44 attempts (90.9%).
2020 season
On March 23, 2020, Bailey re-signed with the Vikings on a three-year, $10 million contract. However, he struggled mightily during the season, going just 15 of 22 on field goals for a career low 68.1%, and just 37 of 43 on extra points for a career low 86%. Bailey was better hitting field goals inside 40 yards, making nine of 10 attempts (90%).
Bailey was released on March 9, 2021.
NFL career statistics
Regular season
Postseason
See also
*
List of NCAA major college football yearly scoring leaders
The list of NCAA major college football yearly scoring leaders identifies the NCAA major college scoring leaders. Beginning with the 1937 college football season, when the NCAA began maintaining official records, the list includes each year's le ...
References
External links
Oklahoma State Cowboys bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bailey, Dan
1988 births
Living people
People from Mustang, Oklahoma
Sportspeople from Oklahoma City
Players of American football from Oklahoma
American football placekickers
Oklahoma State Cowboys football players
Dallas Cowboys players
Minnesota Vikings players
Unconferenced Pro Bowl players