'Changing the game': Michael Dickson's 'perfect' punt

Australian NFL punter Michael Dickson is up to his old tricks again, stealing the show with his ‘magical’ boot for the Seattle Seahawks.

Dickson has been hailed as a punting revolutionary in his first season in the NFL, and his latest stunt has left expert Pat McAfee absolutely gobsmacked.

After a huge 68-yard punt under pressure, Dickson backed it up with what McAfee has referred to as the ‘perfect punt’ – and it’s not far off.

On the 43-yard line with not much happening for the Seahawks against the in-form LA Rams, Dickson punted the ball – and whether intentional or not – it bounced back on the 1-yard line to be regathered by his teammates.

After hilariously asking “what can you do with it down under destroyer?”, McAfee proceeded to call the unbelievable play.

“This dude (Dickson) is changing the game,” McAfee said.

“Look at his perfection – boom at the one-and-a-half, let me get some back-spin on there.”

Dickson’s punt allowed his teammates to re-gather, check back and down the ball at the 2-yard line.

The 22-year-old finished the match with a total of 3 punts for an average of 55-yards, all but confirming his strong start in the NFL.

Seattle weren’t able to get the victory though, with the Seahawks dropping a second straight game in the final minute – falling to the Rams 36-31.

Michael Dickson thriving in the NFL

He’s the only man ever to be overlooked in the AFL’s draft but selected in the NFL’s and now Michael Dickson is being hailed as punting revolutionary.

Four years after his AFL dream was crushed, the Sydney Swans academy product is excelling for the Seattle Seahawks just six games into his professional career.

Punters are usually the most anonymous of figures in NFL teams, but so prodigious was the right boot of Dickson for his college team Texas, the Seahawks moved up in this year’s draft to select him in the fifth round.

He’s the only man ever to be overlooked in the AFL’s draft but selected in the NFL’s and now Michael Dickson is being hailed as punting revolutionary.

Four years after his AFL dream was crushed, the Sydney Swans academy product is excelling for the Seattle Seahawks just six games into his professional career.

Punters are usually the most anonymous of figures in NFL teams, but so prodigious was the right boot of Dickson for his college team Texas, the Seahawks moved up in this year’s draft to select him in the fifth round.

At Texas the Sydneysider was voted the Big 12 conferences’s best special teams player in successive seasons and last year he was named the top college punter in the country.

That success saw him forego his final year at Texas to try and reach the NFL.

However, teams rarely draft punters and Dickson admits leaving early was a huge risk.

“I was with my cousin and my girlfriend,” Dickson told AAP in London where the Seahawks took on Oakland at Wembley Stadium in October.

“It was a super stressful day, there is so much going on and I didn’t want to be around too many people.

“I told myself if I didn’t get drafted not to get to down as I would back myself to find a team.

“But when it happened it was great to be around the people that I love.

“It was probably the best day of my life when my name was called out.”

Upon his arrival in Seattle, Dickson saw off the team’s long-time punter Jon Ryan to earn his spot on the 53-man roster.

On his debut against Denver, he became the first NFL player to average more than 59.9 yards on six punts – including a 69-yarder.

A week later he created national headlines by successfully producing a rugby-style drop kick against Chicago – the first time any player had attempted one in the NFL since 2015.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said the decision to draft Dickson has so far been vindicated.

“Field position is enormously important to our style of play, and Michael kicking the ball deep, pinning them back, is important,” Carroll said this week.

“But (so is) changing the field with some kicks that he’s capable of doing – not to mention the other things.

“The placement of the ball and the things like that … (are) a lot of really cool things that you don’t normally get from a punter.”

with AAP.