Texans' Dare Ogunbowale Goes From Kicking Field Goals To Delivering Bone-Crushing Hits (Video)

The Houston Texans won one of the craziest NFL games of the season last Sunday. Quarterback C.J. Stroud set an NFL rookie passing record with 470 yards. He also threw five touchdowns, including the game-winner with under ten seconds left. That overshadowed backup running back and special teamer Dare Ogunbowale assuming kicking duties.

Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn suffered an injury that subsequently landed him on injured reserve. But, Houston needed a kicker for the remainder of the game. Enter: Dare Ogunbowale. He handled kickoff duties for the duration of the contest.

They also sent him out for a potential go-ahead field goal attempt. He promptly drilled it.

With Fairbairn hitting injured reserve, the team signed Matt Ammendola to take over the kicking game. He kicked in four games last season, two each with the Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs.

With that signing, Ogunbowale returned to his usual duties. That includes still playing on kickoffs. But, instead of kicking the balls, the team tasks him with making tackles.

Just like everything else he does, Ogunbowale takes his responsibilities seriously. Very seriously.

Dare Ogunbowale of the Houston Texans kicks a field goal against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Near the end of the first half on Sunday against the Bengals, Ammendola hit a field goal to give the team the lead with just 10 seconds left.

Ammendola then kicked off. Cincinnati Bengals returner Trenton Irwin decided to try to run the kick back, since there was little time remaining in the half.

Bad idea.

Dare Ogunbowale came flying down the field and laid the BOOM on Irwin.

Dang. Now that's a football play.

In a modern NFL where seemingly every hard hit (and even non-hard hits) draws a penalty flag, it's great to see a perfectly legal, yet hard, tackle.

The fact it came from a guy who kicked a go-ahead field goal one week ago makes it even better.