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DJ Bien-Aime, ESPN
HOUSTON — Imagine being in the NFL as a running back. Your role is to run the ball, pass protect and catch passes out of the backfield.
That’s what Houston Texans running back Dare Ogunbowale thought his job would entail Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But at halftime, Ogunbowale’s job duties increased when the Texans were forced to make a change at kicker.
Houston kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn suffered a quad injury in the second quarter, and the team turned to an unusual replacement in Ogunbowale.
Ogunbowale answered the call when Texans coach DeMeco Ryans sent his running back to line up for a field goal attempt with 8:48 left in the fourth quarter when Houston was facing a fourth-and-goal from the 11-yard line. Ogunbowale nailed the 29-yard field goal to put the Texans up 33-30.
What is even happening in this game 🤯 pic.twitter.com/7Ynjfmplt1
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) November 5, 2023
“I really didn’t have time to be nervous,” Ogunbowale told ESPN. “I never expected to be doing that, but the guys were riding with me and had my back.”
Ogunbowale became the first non-kicking specialist to make a field goal in a regular-season game since wide receiver Wes Welker did it for the Miami Dolphins in 2004.
“Dare stepped in, and he did a really nice job for us,” Ryans said in the postgame presser. “We were confident he can make it from there. And he proved us right, so credit Dare. He’s truly the player of the game. Him stepping up the way he did for us was outstanding by him.”
The second half started with an Ogunbowale kickoff as wide receiver Deven Thompkins caught the ball on the 4-yard line and returned it to the Buccaneers’ 27 yard-line. He also had two touchbacks from kickoffs.
Dare Ogunbowale kicks it off to start the second half pic.twitter.com/LroDvaNoYz
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) November 5, 2023
Ogunbowale credited his father for putting him and his sister Arike Ogunbowale — a Dallas Wings guard — in soccer as a child.
“My dad had me and my sister playing soccer before I switched over to football,” Ogunbowale said in reference to his success in playing multiple roles in the 39-37 win.
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