Dan Bailey (born January 26, 1988) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oklahoma State Cowboys and signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2011. Bailey spent seven years in Dallas, where he became the franchise's all-time leader in field goals made. Bailey also played for the Minnesota Vikings.
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Early life
Born in Oklahoma City, Bailey grew up in Mustang, Oklahoma, and attended Southwest Covenant School where he was an all-state, all-conference kicker and a first-team all-city punter (as selected by The Oklahoman), while playing eight-man football.
As a senior, Bailey had 51 touchbacks in 61 kickoffs. He holds the high school state records for longest field goal (50 yards), most field goals in a season (seven) and career (14). Bailey was also an individual state champion golfer. He graduated from Southwest Covenant in 2007 and was named valedictorian.
College career
Bailey originally accepted to walk on at University of Arkansas, in order to receive an academic scholarship that would cover his tuition. After losing the competition for the starting kicker job, Bailey was approached by head coach Houston Nutt and was told that he would have to pay his own way, so Bailey would not count toward the team's scholarship limit. Forced to leave the school, he spent a year out of college before walking on at Oklahoma State University.
As a true freshman in 2007, Bailey made 20-of-20 extra point kicks but only two-of-four field goals. He made field goals from 27 and 28 yards and missed two attempts beyond 40 yards.
Until the 2008 Holiday Bowl, Bailey made 10 consecutive field goals in his second year (2008). With a 78.9% field goal conversion rate (15-for-19) on the season, he was second in the Big 12 Conference in field goal percentage. Bailey made a career-long 45-yarder in the 2008 Holiday Bowl, a 42-31 loss to Oregon.
Bailey made 46-of-46 extra point attempts and 13-of-18 field goals in 2009 as a junior. In the October 17 game, a 33–17 victory over Missouri, he made 4-of-4 field goals, including a career-long 51-yarder.
In 2010, Bailey made 24-of-28 field goals and 65-of-66 extra points, for an NCAA-leading 149 points. He won the Lou Groza Award for the nation's top kicker following the season. Bailey earned the Big 12 Special teams Player of the Year award. Oklahoma State won the December 2010 Alamo Bowl 36–10 over Arizona, and he made three of three field goals in that game: from 40, 50, and 44 yards.
Professional career
Dallas Cowboys
Bailey was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent following the 2011 NFL draft on July 25. At one point during training camp, he had to compete with three other place kickers who included David Buehler, Shayne Graham and Dave Rayner. Bailey was named the team's kicker at the end of the preseason, with Buehler remaining on the roster as the kickoff specialist.
During a Week 2 27–24 road victory over the San Francisco 49ers, after missing a chip shot attempt in the first quarter, Bailey made a 48-yard field goal to send the game into overtime, and the eventual game-winner from 19 yards. In the next game against the Washington Redskins, Bailey tied a rookie record by converting six field goals, accounting for all of Dallas' points during the narrow 18–16 victory. This was the first time since 2001 that the Cowboys won a game without scoring a touchdown and the sixth time in franchise history. Bailey became the third rookie in NFL history to make six field goals in a game, following in the footsteps of Garo Yepremian, who converted six-of-eight attempts on November 13, 1966, for the Detroit Lions, and Jeff Reed, who made all six tries on December 1, 2002, for the Pittsburgh Steelers. This performance earned Bailey NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
During a Week 11 27–24 overtime road victory over the Redskins, Bailey kicked his second game-winning field goal, a 39-yard kick in overtime. Two weeks later on the road against the Arizona Cardinals, he missed a potential game-winning 49-yard field goal. With the game tied 13–13, with six seconds left in the fourth quarter, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett called a timeout before the snap, but Bailey's kick was good. Following the time-out, Bailey kicked the field goal short and to the left, leaving many Cowboys fans frustrated, convinced Garrett had just iced his own kicker. In overtime, the Cardinals won 19–13 on a touchdown by LaRod Stephens-Howling. In the next game against the New York Giants, Bailey's first attempt at a game-tying 47-yard field goal was interrupted when Giants coach Tom Coughlin called a time-out, effectively icing the kicker. Bailey's first kicked ball went through the uprights, but Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul blocked Bailey's kick after the Giants' timeout and the Cowboys lost by a score of 37–34.
Bailey had one of the best kicking seasons in franchise and league history by a rookie, making 32-of-37 (86.5%) field goals, second-highest kicking percentage for a rookie, setting a Cowboys rookie record for most field goals made in a game (6), tying Chris Boniol for the second-most consecutive field goals made (26) in club history, and was named to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie team.
Minnesota Vikings
On September 17, 2018, the Minnesota Vikings signed Bailey to replace rookie Daniel Carlson after Carlson missed three field goals during Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers. Bailey would go on to have another poor season, converting just 21 of 28 field goal attempts (75%), including only five of 11 attempts (45.4%) from 40 yards or more – this reduced productivity matched the previous year, as his percentage of overall field goals made was exactly the same.
On March 19, 2019, Bailey re-signed with the Vikings. He struggled during the preseason, forcing the Vikings to trade a fifth-round draft pick to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for kicker Kaare Vedvik. Bailey would end up winning the kicking competition and Vedvik was released on August 31.
During a Week 5 28–10 road victory over the Giants, Bailey converted all four field goals and both extra points, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Three weeks later against the Redskins, he made four field goals and an extra point in the 19–9 victory en route to another NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award. During a Week 15 39–10 road victory over the Chargers, Bailey converted all four field goal attempts and three of four extra point attempts. He earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for the third time for his performance.
Bailey had a rebound season, re-establishing himself as a notable placekicker, converting 27 of 29 field goals (93.1%), although he had a career-low average in extra points, making 40 of 44 attempts (90.9%).
On March 23, 2020, Bailey re-signed with the Vikings on a three-year, $10 million contract. However, he struggled mightily during the season, going just 15 of 22 on field goals for a career low 68.1%, and just 37 of 43 on extra points for a career low 86%. Bailey was better hitting field goals inside 40 yards, making nine of 10 attempts (90%).
Bailey was released on March 9, 2021.