TAMPA, Fla. -- In a first half that saw virtually nothing go right for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Philadelphia Eagles, kicker Chase McLaughlin hit a franchise-record 65-yard field goal -- just one yard shy of the NFL's record.
It was the longest outdoor field goal in league history and cut the Buccaneers' deficit at the time to 24-6. The Buccaneers (3-1) rallied but fell 31-25 to the Eagles (4-0) to lose their first game of the season.
McLaughlin didn't think it went in initially.
"I never saw the ball," McLaughlin told ESPN. "I had no idea. I saw whoever the returner was back there under the uprights -- I saw him look to his left, my right -- so I actually was kind of disappointed because I thought I missed it right. And shortly after that, some of our lineman turned around with their arms up so it was at that point I knew that it went in."
He had struggled through the first three games of the season after missing just two field goals all last year. He missed a 44-yard field goal and an extra point attempt in Week 1 at the Atlanta Falcons. Then in Week 2 at the Houston Texans, he missed a 38-yard field goal. And last week against the New York Jets, he saw a 43-yard field goal blocked and returned for a touchdown.
"I felt the wind die down, I looked at coach Todd [Bowles], I looked at T-Mac [special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey] and told them,' Yeah, I think I'm good from here,' so it meant a lot for Todd to trust me and put me out there."
Bowles had expressed faith in his kicker throughout his struggles the last three weeks.
"He has to come back from an early season slump," Bowles said. "He has been making some great kicks for us and for him to hit that one was huge for us. We did not know he had that in range -- we thought he would be close -- but for him, that hit was big."
The NFL's record is 66 yards and belongs to former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, who set it in Week 3 of the 2021 season against the Detroit Lions as time expired.
In 2024, Brandon Aubrey made a 65-yard field goal for the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3 against the Ravens last season.
Tucker's, Aubrey's and now McLaughlin's kicks are the only field goals in league history of 65 yards or more. Before this, McLaughlin's career long was 57 yards, something he did in both 2021 and 2023.
Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little made a 70-yard field goal during the preseason this year, but that does not count for NFL recordkeeping.