CLEVELAND — Three-hundred and fifty days ago, Browns fans were mentally clearing space in the stadium's Ring of Honor for kicker Cade York after his game-winning, 58-yard field goal over the Carolina Panthers.
"Cade York is my hero,” said one fan from Shaker Heights buying gear the day after the game at the team shop. “Cade York is going to be a legend in Cleveland, and he started that yesterday."
York went four for four that day, giving the Browns their first week one victory since 2004 and earning him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors, only the fifth rookie in NFL history to win it in week one. For the only kicker drafted last year, it would be the high water mark. Inconsistencies in the '22 season have funneled into '23.
The team Monday traded with the Los Angeles Chargers for kicker Dustin Hopkins in exchange for a seventh-round pick.
"I don't know. Don't know if there's a better kicker out there or not,” Browns fan Eric Blackwell said Monday, unsure of what the Browns should do.
Arthur McCullum said it’s time to cut your losses.
“Yeah. He's supposed to hit everything in practice; how come he don't hit nothing in the game?" he said.
"I would say it's fairly common,” said Dr. Jack Lesyk from the Ohio Center for Sport Psychology. "So many of the referrals that I get in my Sport Psychology practice is exactly that. Performing well during practice but underperforming in competition.
“It does tend to be psychological because performing well in practice certainly means the skills are there. Skills don't evaporate, especially for the professional or elite athlete. They've been practicing these skills for years and years. It is embedded in their brain; it's embedded in their nervous system. So something is getting in the way, and usually, that is thoughts that are not helpful or emotions that are getting in the way.”
Lesyk has never met or worked with York, but he has worked with kickers in his situation.
"One of the things that's unique to that sport, of course, is the amount of attention that's going on one person at that one moment of time."
He says there is "absolutely" hope for someone in that situation. There are a number of techniques he uses with players to both identify and overcome their issues. A lot of things they're already doing.
"But sometimes they need a little bit of extra assistance in practicing things when things are not going extremely well for them," Lesyk said.
