Chargers Wide Receiver Keenan Allen Questions If Carli Lloyd Can Play in NFL

United States Women's Soccer star Carli Lloyd turned heads last week when she nailed a 55-yard [...]

By John Newby

United States Women's Soccer star Carli Lloyd turned heads last week when she nailed a 55-yard field goal in front of the Philadelphia Eagles. The World Cup Champion is known for her accurate kicks on the pitch, but she proved that accuracy is universal when she sent the football through narrow uprights. This feat led to speculation that Lloyd could become the first female to attempt a kick for an NFL team, but Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen is not convinced this would work.

With news arising on Tuesday that an NFL team had actually offered to let Lloyd kick during an upcoming preseason game, Sports Illustrated set out to determine if she should actually be given the opportunity. For many, the answer is a resounding "YES," but Allen has some concerns.

As he posted on Twitter, it sounds sweet until somebody blocks the kick. Allen said that Lloyd trying to make a tackle after having a kick blocked would be like the stampede scene from The Lion King.

While Allen does have a point about a kick getting blocked, forcing Lloyd to attempt a tackle, should this be as pressing of a concern? How often do field goals get blocked in the NFL?

According to the NFL's official website, there were only nine field goals blocked during the 2018 season. Cincinnati's Randy Bullock led the list with two blocked kicks, and he tied with Baltimore's Justin Tucker. Dan Bailey of Minnesota, Brett Maher of Dallas, Will Lutz of New Orleans, Chris Boswell of Pittsburgh, and Stephen Hauschka of Buffalo all had one field goal blocked.

In terms of extra points, there were only four blocked during the season. Josh Lambo of Jacksonville, Harrison Butker of Kansas City, Mike Nugent of Oakland, and Ryan Succop of Tennessee all saw an extra point deflect off the hands of a defender.

Considering how many field goals and extra points are attempted on a weekly basis, 13 combined blocks is still a minuscule amount. Yes, Allen does have a legitimate concern about Lloyd's safety given the size of NFL players, but the chances of her having a kick blocked are not overwhelming. Additionally, it would be up to the coaching staff to prepare for such an incident if it were to arise.

Unfortunately for fans of Lloyd, she won't be making her debut during week four of the preseason. An NFL team offered to let her hit the field this week, but the opportunity conflicted with an upcoming game against Portugal. Lloyd's debut in the NFL will simply have to wait for a future game.

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