So he IS human! Australian NFL sensation dubbed the ‘Down Under Destroyer’ nearly costs his team the game with a disastrous on-field performance
- Michael Dickson had worst game of his young NFL career in season’s final week
- The Sydney-raised punter had two punts that were blocked in Sunday’s game
- Both of the blocked punts led to the Arizona Cardinals scoring touchdowns
- Dickson revealed he didn’t even like NFL to begin with, and wanted to play AFL
- The 22-year-old gained massive international fanbase after his first season
Michael Dickson had the worst game of his young NFL career but the Seattle Seahawks still hung on to narrowly defeat the Arizona Cardinals and set up a playoff clash with the Dallas Cowboys.
Known as the ‘Down Under Destroyer’, Sydney-raised Dickson, named to the Pro Bowl in his rookie season, had two punts blocked on Sunday that led to touchdowns.
Cardinals defensive end Cameron Malveaux knocked the punt down and linebacker Dennis Gardeck fell on it in the end zone.
Michael Dickson (pictured) had the worst game of his young NFL career but the Seattle Seahawks still hung on to narrowly defeat the Arizona Cardinals
Sydney-raised Dickson, named to the Pro Bowl in his rookie season, had two punts blocked on Sunday that led to touchdowns (pictured with his girlfriend)
The other block came as Dickson punted from the back of his own end zone and the ball landed at the Seahawks’ 27-yard line.
The Cardinals took advantage of the field position and scored three plays later.
Dickson also had a 54-yard punt returned 45 yards.
The Seahawks managed to hang on for a 27-24 win against the lowly Cardinals who lost 13 of their 16 games this season.
The near disaster comes after the Sutherland-born superstar admitted he didn’t like the sport to begin with.
While some of the NFL’s most respected pundits are in awe of his monster punts and pinpoint accurate kicks, Dickson said he once had no interest in the American sport.
‘Super Bowl would be on a Monday. People would talk about it, but I never really paid it any mind,’ he told ESPN.
Originally, Dickson had dreams of making it to the AFL, but when he missed out on being drafted via the Sydney Swans academy, those dreams were shattered.
‘At that point I knew I wasn’t going to make it professionally with the AFL, and I thought, ”I’ve got a good skill. I’ve got a big kick. Let’s just try it [NFL] out”,’ he said.
His disastrous game comes after the Sutherland-born superstar admitted he didn’t like the sport to begin with
The 22-year-old sensation has gained a massive international fan base after his first season in the pro-bowl
Dickson has grabbed headlines this season while the ‘Aussie Superboot’ has slipped under the radar as a dark horse.
Dickson plaudits grew after he landed a ‘perfect punt’ inside the three yard line for the Seahawks last month.
Earlier in the season, the rookie punter audaciously ran for a first down against the Detroit Lions when it would have been safer to punt.
His drop-kick onside kick against the Chicago Bears before that has also drawn him admirers.
Australia’s two other punters on teams in playoff contention on the final day of the regular season, Philadelphia Eagles’ Cameron Johnston and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Jordan Berry, had nervous days.
Originally, Dickson had dreams of making it to the AFL, but when he missed out on being drafted via the Sydney Swans academy, those dreams were shattered
The defending Super Bowl champion Eagles needed to beat the Washington Redskins and hope the Chicago Bears defeat the Minnesota Vikings.
The stars aligned, with the Eagles crushing the Redskins 24-0 and the Bears outplaying the Vikings 24-10.
The Eagles take on the Bears next weekend.
The Steelers also had to navigate a slippery slope to the playoffs and will not know their fate until the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans game concludes later Sunday.
The Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals 16-13, but their path became unlikely when the Baltimore Ravens outlasted the Cleveland Browns 26-24.
The Steelers’ only hope is the unlikely prospect of Indianapolis and Tennessee ending in a tie.