He just joined the team a few short weeks ago, but his impact has already been tremendous.
Regardless of the Michigan Panthers 1-6 record, there has been one brightly shining addition from the depths of the division that has somehow been overlooked despite his in-game heroics.
Call him “Clutch Cole.”
Kicker Cole Murphy signed with the Panthers as an underrated and undrafted free agent prior to week 5 of the United States Football League (USFL) season.
Since that time, he’s only drilled seven of eight field goal attempts — with a long of 60 yards.
Yes, you read that right.
And he made that record-setting 60-yarder look simple in week 7, as he easily had the distance while easing the pigskin through the uprights with an ear-to-ear smile, a giddy fistbump and a mic’d up celebration for the ages.
The only thing that makes @_colemurphy_'s 60-yard field goal even better is listening to the mic'd up version of it 🔊🔊
cc: @USFLPanthers pic.twitter.com/DpMCDzbM9H
— USFL (@USFL) May 29, 2022
Oh yeah; he also tacked on another three field goals (ending the game going 4-for-5) while making his one and only PAT attempt in Michigan’s 31-27 loss to the New Orleans Breakers.
Let’s go back to week 6: in just his second game with the Panthers, Murphy drilled his lone field goal attempt (from 56 yards out) and also went a perfect 2-for-2 on extra points in a 33-17 loss to the undefeated Birmingham Stallions.
In week 5, Murphy’s debut outing for the team, he went 2-for-2 on field goals (long of 41 yards) and made both extra point attempts in a 27-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Bandits.
He also took over as the team’s punter and averaged 38.8 yards per punt in his opening game for Michigan before handing off punting duties to Kyle Kramer (who has handled punting for the Panthers the past two weeks).
To put it simply, this guy has been purely magical since joining the USFL.
One thing is certain: this 6-foot-3, 215-pound, Syracuse product isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Except maybe the NFL.
