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ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 28: DC Defenders kicker Matt McCrane (16) kicks a field goal out of the hold of DC Defenders punter Paxton Brooks (47) during a UFL regular season game where the St. Louis Battlehawks hosted the DC Defenders on Saturday March 28th, 2026, at The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis MO (Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The United Football League (UFL) is a place for professional football players to continue their dream of playing the game while getting additional film so that one day they can compete in an NFL training camp. A lot of UFL players have been on the roster or practice squad of an NFL team in the past.
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Former Cleveland Browns kicker Matt McCrane became the first UFL player to convert on a new rule for the 2026 season: any field goal conversion over 60 yards is now worth four points. McCrane nailed a 60-yarder in the first quarter for the DC Defenders.
The Defenders’ offense stalled out with 9:08 remaining in the first quarter of their Week 1 contest against the St. Louis Battlehawks on the road in the only indoor stadium in the league. The announced attendance was 31,191.
The new rule is that any successful field goal of 60+ yards is worth four points. Another new rule put into place this year is that any offensive team that passes the 50-yard line can no longer punt in that end of the field. This means offenses must go for the fourth down or attempt a long field goal.
That is exactly what happened with DC with 9:08 remaining in the first quarter. The home crowd suddenly became somewhat quiet when McCrane trotted out as if the partisan crowd wasn’t sure what to expect from such a long kick. The pass from long snapper Trae Barry was true to the holder Paxton Brooks, who is the team’s punter. The pass was set on the 50-yard line, and McCrane’s plant foot remained true on the artificial surface.
The ball went up, and everyone instantly saw it was on target, with only the question of whether it would be long enough. With no wind to deal with, the ball went through the uprights a bit left, but cleared the crossbar with plenty to spare. In the replay, you can see McCrane walking towards his own sideline before the kick sailed through, signifying he knew it was a good strike and long enough.
Suddenly, the Defenders were up 4-0. McCrane’s kick became the first four-point field goal in UFL history. At the final gun, St. Louis came away with a narrow 16-10 win.
McCrane was on the practice squad roster of the Browns in 2020 and 2021. He was behind K Cody Parkey and was scheduled to replace Parkey in the Week 11 game against the Philadelphia Eagles when Parkey had been out with COVID. Right before kickoff, Parkey was cleared to play, and head coach Kevin Stefanski went with Parkey instead of inserting McCrane.
He has been with DC for three years and has had stints with the Arizona Cardinals, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, and Pittsburgh Steelers. He also kicked for the New York Guardians of the second version of the XFL in 2020 before the pandemic shut down that league. In 2018, McCrane kicked three field goals, including the game-winner in overtime, as the Raiders defeated Cleveland 45-42.
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Despite McCrane making the UFL’s first four-point field goal, it is not the first four-point kick in the history of American Football. Originally, field goals were worth five points and were altered to four points in 1904. Then, in 1909, this was changed again to three points for any successful field goal. None of these kicks had any restrictions on yardage, as the UFL does.
Here is a link to the Defenders home page with roster and schedule:
The UFL opened its third season with four games this weekend. Each team plays a 10-game schedule with the championship game slated for June 13. The league relocated three teams from last year’s format, with one being placed in Columbus.
