New Bengals kicker Cade York appears to remain undefeated with Burrow and Chase

New Bengals kicker Cade York appears to remain undefeated with Burrow and Chase

New Bengals kicker Cade York couldn’t have done better to revive his career in place of the injured Evan McPherson.

Except against the Browns, but that comes in two weeks.

York returns to the city where he lives for his first game in stripes when the Bengals play at Dallas on Monday night (8:15 p.m. – Cincinnati’s Channel 9, ESPN), as he looks to extend his unbeaten streak with quarterback Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase to extend until 16.

“Maybe I’ll have someone pack a bag to bring back so I have more clothes,” York said before Friday’s practice.

York, a freshman when Burrow and Chase led LSU to the national title, won Tuesday’s practice at Paycor Stadium, led by special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons. In his fifth attempt since Washington cut him after missing two kicks in the opening game, York showed off the same leg that impressed Simmons while leading the kicking portion of the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine.

“Power. He has great leg strength. The ball bounces off his foot,” Simmons said. “He needs to be a more consistent ball hitter. Just get him to direct the ball in the right direction. He has the chance here to get his career back on the right track.”

York, 23, had the best moment of his career in his first game after Cleveland made him a fourth-round pick in 2022. He made all four field goal attempts, including a 58-yarder with eight seconds left to beat the Panthers. He went 20 of 28 the rest of the season before the Browns cut him a week before the 2023 opener, and he didn’t appear in the league again until the 2024 opener.

“I had some really great moments and the next preseason I did well in practice and training camp,” York said. “I missed a few kicks by a hair in preseason and they cut me. That sucked, but it’s a business.”

York made the AFC East tour this year after narrowly missing from 47 and 56 yards in the opener with the Commanders and had tryouts with the Bills, Patriots and two with the Jets before playing the final five games here.

“It was frustrating. I hit most of them really well,” York said of the tryouts. “It was confusing at times, but I would never say discouraging.”

Having never lost a game against Burrow and Chase, York says he “wants to stick with it.” He also says it’s nice to be in one place after never being able to fully unpack your suitcase. He still had time to get just deodorant, toothpaste and a few clothes when he got the call from the Bengals late Monday morning.

“The gist,” York said.

He hopes Simmons can provide more foundation.

“He’s been here a long time and has seen a lot of people. Maybe I’ll grab something while I’m here,” York said. “Go kick some balls.”

Simmons has been here before.

Try 2012, when the Bengals were 7-1 and had to make the playoffs. In the middle of that run, they lost kicker Mike Nugent with four games to go.

They turned to a 10-year veteran in Josh Brown, and he went 13 of 14, including two of two in the Wild Card Game in Houston. His 43-yarder with four seconds left in Pittsburgh gave the Bengals a 13-10 victory that put them in the playoffs.

Then, as now, the Bengals are ready as soon as their kicker returns from injury. When Nugent returned in 2013, Brown joined the Giants. The only thing York knows is that he won’t be back next year.

“Very similar situation, except Josh was a veteran,” Simmons said. “But it’s still a great opportunity to get on the right track.”

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