Former Dallas Cowboys Exec Gil Brandt Weighs in on Carli Lloyd Kicking in the NFL

Gil Brandt is known as “The Godfather” after a wildly successful career as an NFL executive and has become a trusted figure in personnel decisions. When Brandt talks, people listen. With that in mind, it’s interesting to note Brandt’s response to the swirling conversation about United States Women’s Soccer star Carli Lloyd.

Momentum has been building in recent weeks for a potential tryout with an NFL team, especially after her personal coach James Galanis said that if she was going to pursue a career in the NFL, she would do so by training during the offseason and preparing to be a success.

However, there are multiple figures that believe she isn’t cut out for the league due to the very minute chance that she might have to tackle someone. Well, Brandt is not concerned about these hypothetical scenarios and would bring Lloyd in for a tryout if he was still running a team.

Lloyd can kick, this isn’t a question. However, it will more be if the NFL is ready for her. In a league of all-men players, are they progressive enough to welcome her in with open arms? We’re now at a time where women are joining the coaching ranks across the league, so why not as a player? It’s a bottom-line league and if she’s the best person for the job then grab her a helmet.

The former Dallas Cowboys man in Brandt helped revolutionize the league and was responsible for the NFL Scouting Combine. He helped change the way teams scout players, he oversaw player invitations to the draft, and he introduced computers to the Cowboys as part of acquiring talent. Brandt’s impact on the league was so great that he was recently inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. When he talks, people generally pay attention and follow his advice.

Brandt is a firm believer in the mindset of finding the best person for the job, which should carry a lot of weight in this discussion. After all, this is a man responsible for drafting wide receiver Michael Irvin and quarterback Roger Staubach, and he brought Drew Pearson and Cliff Harris to town as undrafted free agents. Nine of Brandt’s players landed in the Hall of Fame and 53 reached the Pro Bowl a combined 178 times.

If Brandt believes that Lloyd is worth a tryout, it’s critical that NFL teams listen. The Minnesota Vikings just wasted a fifth-round draft pick by trading for a kicker named Kaare Vedvik, only to waive him weeks later after he struggled during the preseason.