After going 4-12 last season, the Detroit Lions are not in a position to say “no” to any talent — no matter how quirky. This includes YouTube-famous Norwegian soccer players.
Havard Rugland, or Kickalicious, was offered a spot at Lions minicamp, and so far, he has impressed head coach Jim Schwartz, the Detroit Free Press reports. The staff was initially concerned about adjusting Rugland to kicking the football in game situations — with a holder, a snap and defenders — but those have seemed to fade.
“He’s passed all those tests,” Schwartz said. “Every step along the way, he’s done a good job with that. So the next thing is when the game’s live and guys are really bearing down on him and there’s pressure involved to kick. But that’s something that won’t come for a while now. He’s done a nice job working through all the different things that are new to him. That’s encouraging to see.”
Rugland’s video featured trick shot after trick shot, but more importantly for the Lions, he showed consistency when kicking from the 50-yard line. Even though the team signed former 49er David Akers, Rugland is still making an impression.
And though the Lions probably aren’t anticipating needing a field goal from a beach to a boat, they at least know Rugland would be up for the task. Hey, it’s better to be safe than sorry, right?
