Lauren Silberman‘s attempt to become the NFL’s first female kicker did not go as planned.
The former MIT student and Wisconsin club soccer player kicked off just twice at Sunday’s regional combine in Florham Park, N.J., before retiring with a quadriceps injury. Silberman, who has never played competitive football before, totaled less than 30 yards with her two kicks.
“They certainly didn’t go as far as they were in practices,” the 28-year-old told USA Today. “The distance wasn’t there, but hopefully the scouts will notice my technique. It’s not always length.”
Her poor performance and seemingly weak grasp of form — she reportedly asked three other kickers how to approach the ball — led many to speculate whether the tryout was a mere publicity stunt. This camp included former Colorado and New Mexico kicker Katie Hnida, who became the first woman to score in a Division I football game in 2003.
“It is disappointing,” Hnida told USA Today. “I hoped she would go out and do justice for an NFL tryout, because there are lots of people who have dreamed of going to the NFL. It should be something serious.
“There is no way I would ever do that unless I was in the absolute best shape of my life and could really compete with these guys. These guys are good. This is not a joke. It didn’t appear she was mentally or physically prepped for an elite-athlete tryout.”
