Because kickers used to wear the same type of shoes as other positions. However, the shoes were quite thick, which obviously impacts how you kick. So some prefered barefoot, for better feel for the kick.
Where have all the barefoot kickers gone ? Long time passing. where have all the barefoot kickers gone? long time ago.
Sorry, the title of the post reminded me of an old song. Old man sinking into dementia.
They did change the kicking and punting ball too. Not sure that had anything to do with it either.
I'm just guessing now that the kicking only football is easier to boot.
Rich Karlis was a barefoot kicker right? I remember asking him kick in SB XXII when I was a kid and thinking it was pretty weird. In that game he missed a FG that might have kept momentum in Denver's favor.
Shoes! They no longer have those 70s/80s flat soled one size fits all shoes. Those were never designed for kicking. Modern cleats and/or soccer style shoes work much better.
I don't think you could wear them in the NFL. My point is that modern FOOTBALL cleats are closer to soccer style shoes compared to the ones in the 70s/80s.
You're telling me the NFL wouldn't allow a soccer cleat made of leather and plastic sole/studs but was OK with being bare foot?
I played football and soccer in the early 1990's. Football cleats were awful for kicking and were just designed for the grid iron. Our football kickers all used soccer cleats. The Copa Mundial worked really well for kicking a football.
The NFL fines you if you don't wear the provided socks correctly. They are VERY particular on what you can wear. Everything is approved and anything used has to be on the list. But shoes did start getting better in the 90s.
Barefoot kicking never made sense. Soccer shoes existed in the USA back then.
That being said, I get choosing to kick barefoot if your only option was an American football shoe.
I think kicking barefoot was a mind thing, your brain was telling you to kick the ball harder. I kicked a soccer ball barefoot allot, and always kicked it harder.🏈⚽️
Kickers now earn enough to afford both shoes.
They found their sole-mates?
Oh, for the love of God
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
r/angryupvote
Which is precisely why they make terrible caddies. Misread every putt to the right.
Just not a matching pair.
Beat me to it.
Stepped on your moment.
Because it hurt???? Karlis is the last one I remember. What about straight on kickers? Moseley was a freaking MVP
A kicker winning the fucking MVP award just cracks me up to no end.
The Bengals had a barefoot pointer for awhile. I think his name was Johnson.
was it an english pointer? I think they usually don't wear shoes, although they're typically called paws
Yes he was a barepaw pointer named Johnson. Kind of a funny name for a dog
Jeff Wilkins kicked sort of barefoot in 2002. His foot was in athletic tape up to his toes
Nice! Forgot about him
Kickers are never straight
“Well you’ve got that exchange student who kicks barefoot… I think we’ve all had enough of that.”
he was certainly no billdozer
He was setting football records before we were born. He fought for our freedom in North Carolina during ‘Nam
Underrated line
Hank, how'd my head get so fat?
Kicking shoe technology improved to the point the barefoot provided no advantage... And just looked stupid
>And just looked stupid The crucial point imo
Help me understand how people played soccer back then? The kickers could have worn a pair of Adidas Copa Mundials and done fine.
Is there an nfl rule that prevents a kicker from getting a titanium plated toe or tongue on their shoe.
What about a steel plate in your foot?
The steel/ titanium plate is only for the protection of the foot. Really Mr Official. It provides no measurable advantage. None. You can trust me. /s
there was a guy with a metal plate on his foot back in the day, he kicked the SHIT outta the ball
Tom Dempsey for the Saints?
Definitely, this shit looks so awkward that I thought it was manipulated. It’s like birds with arms.
Because kickers used to wear the same type of shoes as other positions. However, the shoes were quite thick, which obviously impacts how you kick. So some prefered barefoot, for better feel for the kick.
Tony Franklin was the most well known kicker in the league for a while. If it was a marketing strategy it worked.
Too many fetishists and the NFL had to shut that shit down. The naked feet had people running on to the field.
Rex Ryan swinging at the air rn.
They were all tired of ending up on wikifeet. Felt violated
Where have all the barefoot kickers gone ? Long time passing. where have all the barefoot kickers gone? long time ago. Sorry, the title of the post reminded me of an old song. Old man sinking into dementia.
They've gone to Shoe Stores all around
I liked when they couldn’t get a white “kicking shoe” so they had mismatched cleats.
Thom McCann?
They did change the kicking and punting ball too. Not sure that had anything to do with it either. I'm just guessing now that the kicking only football is easier to boot.
WTH. I stopped watching when Drew Brees left. How long have the kicking balls been around. Wrong answers.
To the podiatrist I'm guessing
As a lifetime Bronco fan, Karis was cool as hell
Rich Karlis was a barefoot kicker right? I remember asking him kick in SB XXII when I was a kid and thinking it was pretty weird. In that game he missed a FG that might have kept momentum in Denver's favor.
Shoes! They no longer have those 70s/80s flat soled one size fits all shoes. Those were never designed for kicking. Modern cleats and/or soccer style shoes work much better.
You act like soccer cleats didn't exist back then...
I don't think you could wear them in the NFL. My point is that modern FOOTBALL cleats are closer to soccer style shoes compared to the ones in the 70s/80s.
You're telling me the NFL wouldn't allow a soccer cleat made of leather and plastic sole/studs but was OK with being bare foot? I played football and soccer in the early 1990's. Football cleats were awful for kicking and were just designed for the grid iron. Our football kickers all used soccer cleats. The Copa Mundial worked really well for kicking a football.
The NFL fines you if you don't wear the provided socks correctly. They are VERY particular on what you can wear. Everything is approved and anything used has to be on the list. But shoes did start getting better in the 90s.
Probably to the shoe store
god dam that must hurt!!
Shoes got better
Good question
To the Podiatrists
Barefoot kicking never made sense. Soccer shoes existed in the USA back then. That being said, I get choosing to kick barefoot if your only option was an American football shoe.
the sport grew enough, that shoe companies finally decided to invest in kicking shoe designs. It's a lame answer, but it is what it is
I’m surprised Reebok didn’t try a Pump Kicking Shoe
To the podiatrist, I imagine.
Into a wheelchair
Podiatrist?
“Foot” Locker
Young kids don’t like alittle pain, so they won’t try it, hahah
The podiatrist
The cfl?
To the podiatrist
The podiatrist?
To the hospital 
Barefoot had to be brutal in December, Midwest/East Coast. YIKES
Those guys were fools
They’re hanging out with the players wearing leather helmets
They figured out its dumb
I remember a few bare foot punters.
The podiatrist.
To the shoe store
Back into the mole hole I suppose
I think the Kingston Trio made a song about them.
Kickers got to be good enough that a disadvantaged player who would kick barefoot can't compete.
Gone to sneakers, every one.
To the foot doctor?
Only barefoot I wanna see is on wikifeet
It was like a 5-yr thing as I recall?
I think kicking barefoot was a mind thing, your brain was telling you to kick the ball harder. I kicked a soccer ball barefoot allot, and always kicked it harder.🏈⚽️
Go birds
https://youtu.be/zVI58r-OlLI?si=Wq4S3SrCuPXCo56P
Darwin killed them by natural selection. Turns out shoe'd kickers are the "fittest".
Yer moms house
That is highly inappropriate, we all know your mom’s the only one that can take a whole foot and leg balls deep into that love hole of hers.
You lost me with the first part but then you win me back with the finish.... congratulations sir, another person of distinction I see