October 11, 2022
There were no nerves for Cameron Dicker on Sunday during the Eagles' final drive, just a lot of waiting.
With the game tied 17-17 in the fourth quarter, the Eagles ran 17 plays that moved them 70 yards downfield and took their sweet time doing it.
On the kickoff following Arizona's game-tying touchdown, the Eagles took over on their own 25 with 9:43 left in regulation, and by the time they faced a fourth down, they were already at the Cardinals' 5 with just 1:48 remaining.
The Eagles had killed off nearly eight minutes of clock, and Dicker, who was signed earlier in the week as an emergency backup for an injured Jake Elliott, waited...and waited...and waited...
But never any nerves.
When Dicker's number was called for the 23-yard, go-ahead field goal attempt, he ran right out and nailed it, putting the Eagles up 20-17 in what would stand as the game's final score. Just like any other kick, he said postgame
"It's what I do," Dicker said. "So just go out there and do it."
And Merrill's call on Cameron Dicker's eventual game-winner pic.twitter.com/Fh22UXtcdT
— Nick Piccone (@_piccone) October 9, 2022
Sunday's win down in Arizona was Dicker's NFL debut and it was a perfect one. With 9:57 left in the third quarter, the 22-year-old connected on a 42-yard field goal that put the Eagles up 17-10 and converted on both of his PAT attempts.
After Jake Elliott was injured taking contact on a field goal make during the Week 4 win against Jacksonville, Dicker was brought in as a contingency plan in case Elliott would be ruled unavailable against the Cardinals. He was, and it proved quickly to be a smart move.
Dicker, who played four years in Texas and was available as an undrafted free agent, said he got a call from his agent on Monday to fly out for a workout in Philly. The next day, he was signed and quickly accepted into the Eagles' locker room with the very obvious nickname "Dicker the Kicker."
"Dicker the Kicker, man," tight end Dallas Goedert said postgame Sunday. "He came in and just like anything, we got a tight-knit group. It doesn't matter who comes in, we're family. We accepted him right away. We knew we needed him, so it was cool getting to know him."
Dicker's cool with the nickname too. He's been hearing it ever since the seventh grade when his science teacher first coined it. He uses it for his social media handles and understands it's something easy for everyone to say. He embraces it.
"I don't really care, I get called it a lot," he said. "Dicker the Kicker's one of the good ones, so it's good."
And will now have a place in Eagles history too.
Cameron Dicker drills his first NFL field goal. pic.twitter.com/Qss5dDFpW8
— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_TFB) October 9, 2022
Dicker probably won't be here all that long. Once Elliott's ready to come back, who has more than earned his spot as the regular kicker, there won't be much reason to keep an extra on the 53-man roster, and Dicker is well aware of that.
He spent the preseason with the Rams and the Ravens but didn't stick, so he's hoping his tape from Sunday will create a new, more permanent chance in the NFL.
"Hopefully, this game will open some doors for me and get myself some opportunities so I can continue to go out there and do my thing," Dicker said.
But wherever, whenever the next kick is, no nerves, never.
"Just run out there and go make it," Dicker said.
What a week for former @LTHSCavFootball & @TexasFootball standout @CameronDicker!
— Tyler Feldman (@TylerFeldmanTV) October 10, 2022
Signed to the @Eagles practice squad Tuesday. Gets 1st NFL start Sunday and hits 23-yard game-winner to help Philly improve to 5-0.@JalenHurts (Bama): "Dicker the Kicker from UT. How 'bout that?" pic.twitter.com/QbRoWQ0Rad
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