Even the most reliable players are not immune to the chaos that surrounds the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. On Monday night, Brandon Aubrey, who had been flawless at home, missed a 40-yard field goal attempt for the first time in his career. And fans were quick to point fingers—not at Aubrey, but at the ESPN broadcast.
A Costly Miss
With the Cowboys trailing the Houston Texans 17-10 late in the first half, Aubrey lined up for what seemed like a routine kick. But as he approached, he slipped, sending the ball curling off the upright for a rare miss. Before this game, the second-year kicker had made 32 consecutive field goals at AT&T Stadium, a testament to his consistency.
Brandon Aubrey just slipped and missed the 40-yard field goal. It’s his first ever miss at home as a Cowboy. pic.twitter.com/bIIOEPCU3a
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulli) November 19, 2024
The Broadcaster Jinx
Moments before the miss, ESPN announcers Joe Buck and Troy Aikman had been singing Aubrey’s praises, emphasizing his reliability from nearly any distance. Aikman even quipped, “Dallas has three points in the pocket right now,” while the Cowboys were still near midfield.
“This is three points in the pocket, right now.” – Troy Aikman on Brandon Aubrey while the Cowboys are at midfield 🏈🎙️ #NFL #MNF pic.twitter.com/MKFZP18kwr
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 19, 2024
Fans quickly labeled the miss as the result of a “broadcaster jinx,” with social media lighting up in agreement. Buck and Aikman seemed to anticipate the backlash, humorously deflecting blame by calling it a “full network jinx.”
A Rare Misstep
The miss marked Aubrey’s first from the 40-49 yard range, where he had been a perfect 11-for-11 before Monday night. His slip and subsequent miss came as a shock, given his otherwise impeccable record.
They did jinx Aubrey. I yelled five minutes ago for them to shut up
— ✭ 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒂 𝑴𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 ✭ (@ParisaMichelle) November 19, 2024
I have never in my life seen an announcers jinx like the one that was just cast on Brandon Aubrey
— Matt Alquiza (@malquiza8) November 19, 2024
In fact, this isn’t the first time fans have sought external reasons for Aubrey’s rare misfires. Earlier in the season, after he missed a 51-yard attempt against the New York Giants, some Cowboys supporters floated conspiracy theories about unfavorable conditions.
Looking Forward
Despite the miss, Aubrey’s reputation as one of the NFL’s most reliable kickers remains intact. His consistency has been a rare bright spot for the Cowboys during a turbulent season. For many fans, the miss was simply an anomaly—albeit one fueled by a little bad luck and a touch of overconfident commentary.
As Dallas continues its uphill battle in the NFC, they’ll need Aubrey to shake off the jinx chatter and keep delivering when it counts.
