Nothing Says “Pro Bowl” Like a Long-Drive Contest

In our first weekend without football since August, some of the NFL’s best tried their hands at a different kind of skill.

The pro bowl has morphed a lot over the years. Going from a full-on game, pads and all, to a week of skills challenges capped off by flag football.

This evolution has created a noticeably more laid back environment for the week. The energy is lighter. The vibe is looser. And getting all of these athletes in one place has made for some ridiculously good content on the NFL’s social media.

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My favorite clip so far was when the AFC faced off against the NFC in a long-drive competition. The format was simple: a kicker and a punter from each conference, three swings each. Highest combined distance wins.

Micah Parsons was standing by watching, and while I am not a fan of having to watch my Lions go up against him twice a year now that he’s a Packer, I agree with him when he said “The NFC is the power side, and the AFC is the… little brothers.”

I hadn’t seen any of these guys swing a club before. So naturally, as a golf swing nerd, I watched the clips a few too many times and broke down what each of them did well—and where they were leaving some yards on the table.

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Cameron Dicker

Chargers Kicker | Longest Drive: 265 yards

I love how compact his move is, but he’s giving away some speed with how short his backswing is. I’d love to see him try to get a fuller turn going back. Right now, he starts down when his arms and upper body have only made it about halfway.

That said, he drops the club into a really nice slot. His upper body rotates well into impact and through his follow-through, and he uses the ground well with what little time he gives himself.

With all these guys being kickers, that last part is going to be a common theme. If Dicker adds more depth and rotation in his backswing, he’s going to pick up a lot of power quickly.

Jordan Stout

Ravens Punter | Longest Drive: 322 Yards

The exact opposite of Dicker’s backswing. Stout makes a full shoulder turn and even comes off his lead foot. I didn’t need a launch monitor to know this ball was going to move.

You combine that depth with the lower-body strength someone like Stout has and you’ve got a recipe for distance.

If there’s a downside, Stout almost uses the ground too much, too early. He doesn’t fully plant back into his lead foot on the downswing. Instead, he pushes off almost immediately.

If he transferred his weight forward a little cleaner and then unloaded that force, he’d not only hit it farther—he’d also add consistency. Right now, there’s a lot riding on timing with his hands and arms.

Tress Way

Commanders Punter | Longest Drive: 260

This is the best swing of the bunch. He's one of the best (if not the best) golfers on the Commanders and apparently frequently tops the TopGolf leaderboard in Ashburn, Virginia.

He stays connected through his swing, mainly with his upper body. Where he can gain some yards using his lower body more. He has a nice hip turn coming into the ball, but that's the only part of his lower body that moves.

If he were to use his legs to generate some ground force coming down, while staying connected in his upper body, that handicap will drop in a hurry.

Brandon Aubrey

Cowboys Kicker | Longest Drive: 336

This drive was powered by sheer athleticism. Out of the group, this swing has the most room for refinement.

After a quick bungled attempt to hit a left-handed club backwards (and somehow still getting a little pop out of it), Aubrey clearly had some adrenaline—and some making up to do.

His arms dominate the backswing, with his upper and lower body lagging behind. I’d love to see all of that work in unison going back.

But when he gets to the top, you can see him use every bit of core strength he has to deliver the club — and the result is a drive that carries 326 yards.

Like any good kicker in the clutch, he stepped up with one goal in mind and accomplished it. Mechanics aside, he got the job done.

For a group of players who don’t spend their lives on the range, the swings were better than expected, and hinted at just how far a little technique could take them.

More Celebrity and Athlete Golf Swing Breakdowns:

Justin Bieber | Mookie Betts | Caitlin Clark | Lebron James | Josh Allen