The Oakland and Las Vegas Raiders have rostered no shortage of legendary kickers over the years. George Blanda walked so that Sebastian Janikowski could run, and two years after Seabass' retirement, the Silver and Black lucked into Daniel Carlson part way into the 2018 season.
Carlson very quickly became a fan favorite in Raider Nation, and developed the nickname "Cash Money Carlson" for both his accuracy and how often the team relied on him to deliver. And for years and years, he always did.
However, Carlson's success has certainly tapered off a bit in recent years, and especially during the 2025 NFL season, he hasn't quite looked like himself. Week 9's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars was the perfect encapsulation, as he ultimately cost Las Vegas the game.
Raiders may need to have a tough conversation about Daniel Carlson
On Sunday, not only did Carlson fail to kick the ball in the landing zone on the opening drive, which set a bad tone for the game, but he missed an extra point in the first half. This came back to bite the Raiders, as they went to overtime and ultimately lost by, you guessed it, one point.
His poor performance was contrasted by second-year Jaguars kicker Cam Little, who made an NFL-record 68-yard field goal to end the first half. Head coach Pete Carroll all but admitted how frustrating this was during his postgame media availability.
"And the guy, how long was the field goal? Was it an all-timer? 68. Is that all-time? For these guys in the freaking locker room, man. It just pisses me off that that's how it is. The all-time longest field goal in the history of the game, and the missed extra point, you know?" Carroll said.
When looking at the numbers, there is no denying that Carlson needs to be a lot better. From 2018-2022, he made 89.9% of his field goals, and 93.2% if an outlier 2019 season is excluded. He made the All-Pro Second-Team in 2021 and was named a First-Team All-Pro in 2022.
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But over the last three seasons, his made field goal percentage has dropped to 84.7%, and he has missed three extra points in the last two years. In 2025, his made field goal percentage is just 80.0%, his lowest mark since 2019.
On field goals of 50 or more yards, Carlson made 82.3% of his attempts from 2018 to 2022, but has connected on just 65.0% since 2023, and only 50.0% this season. His career long is 57 yards, but he has not made one longer than 54 yards since 2022. Other NFL kickers are frequently making kicks from over 55 yards now, and even attempting or making a handful of them over 60 yards.
Carlson will always be remembered for legendary moments like his game-winning kick against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, or knocking one through the uprights with a playoff trip on the line in the 2021 regular season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers.
However, Carlson, who is one of just four Oakland Raiders left on the roster, is in the final year of his contract and has not reached an extension with the new regime in Las Vegas. Plus, the facts are the facts, and Carlson just hasn't been the same kicker in recent years that he was at his peak.
If this is his last run in the Silver and Black, fans should still enjoy Carlson and remember him for the good times. After all, he has the best field goal percentage in franchise history. But it's likely that the Raiders will have a new kicker in 2026 if things don't change, as upsetting as that may be.