The Dallas Cowboys and Brandon Aubrey are in the middle of tense contract negotiations, and things got messy this week when conflicting reports started flying around.
On Tuesday, word broke that the team had put $7.5 million per year on the table to make him the NFL’s highest-paid kicker. The Dallas Morning News followed up with a claim that Aubrey rejected the offer because he’s holding out for $10 million annually.
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Aubrey did not let that version stick around for long. He dropped into the comments section of an Instagram Reel from 105.3 The Fan and shut it down with one word. “Fake,” Aubrey wrote.
That response immediately raised questions about what’s actually been discussed behind closed doors.
Cowboys reporter Clarence Hill Jr. provided more context on what’s really been happening. According to his sources, Dallas attempted to reset the kicker market last September with a proposal that beat out Harrison Butker’s $6.4 million average. But the team never floated $7.5 million or even $7 million.
The offer was above Butker’s number but fell short of eight figures. Aubrey’s agent, Todd France, responded by pushing for $10 million per year before putting talks on hold until after the combine finished up Wednesday.
Dallas does not appear ready to budge from its current stance. The front office is prepared to slap a second-round tender on Aubrey instead, which would lock him in somewhere between $5.5 and $5.8 million for the season. If another team decides to poach him, the Cowboys would at least get a second-round pick in return.
Aubrey has spent three years in Dallas and built himself into one of the most reliable NFL kickers. The 30-year-old knocked down 36 of 42 field goals in 2025, hitting at an 85.7% clip. He also converted 47 of 48 extra points, missing just once all season.
His performance earned him a Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro honors. But what really stands out is his leg strength. Aubrey connected on six field goals from 60 yards or farther, breaking the NFL record for kicks made from that distance.
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