Former Drake kicker Billy Cundiff hopes to earn a spot with the Green Bay Packers for the upcoming. The Harlan native is battling Dave Rayner for the job after his four year stint in Dallas ended in an injury plagued 2005.
Cundiff tore a quad muscle in pre-season and after missing more than two months came back to kick in six games for the Cowboys before he was let go. While the injury occurred at the worst possible time Cundiff says it taught him to appreciate every day he spend in the NFL. He says it helped him put his personal life and athletic career in perspective, as he says it was the first time since third grade he hadn’t played football. Cundiff says having to watch football on TV drove him crazy.
Cundiff says he has been kicking the ball well in workouts and would love to get a chance to latch on with the Packers. He says it’s a great organization from top to bottom and he says he likes the city.
Cundiff says Green Bay has a college type atmosphere and after practice in the off-season will draw a large crowd. Cundiff says people will take an extended lunch period to come and watch practice. Cundiff says the fans want to talk and a lot of times don’t even ask for autographs. Cundiff is in Des Moines to host his annual camp for kickers and punters which begins today at Drake.