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Harry Kane is hinting at the possibility of pursuing both an MLS and NFL career simultaneously, having long harbored a desire to transfer his soccer abilities to becoming a kicker in American football should the chance present itself.
Kane is currently in negotiations to extend his deal with Bayern Munich, with the player himself confirming an agreement is "fairly close." The England skipper celebrated his 33rd birthday over the summer, and a fresh two or three-year extension taking him to 36 or 37 years of age would come as little surprise.
He has no plans to walk away from top-level soccer before he absolutely must. "If people know I am still at the top of my game here with football, it is not a conversation that would be had," Kane explained, though trying out for the NFL is something he wants to "look at a bit more seriously."
He continued: "It all depends on what happens in my career over the next five or six years, the motivation and what I want to do."
The 2026 Ballon d'Or hopeful considers it "a lot more realistic" than his other sporting dream—breaking through as a professional golfer.
Kane's passion for the NFL traces back to 2011 when he watched a documentary featuring Tom Brady. He subsequently became a devoted New England Patriots supporter and now counts Brady among his close friends. Kane even named one of his dogs Brady and the other Wilson, in honor of now-retired quarterback Russell Wilson.
What Would Make Kane a Good NFL Kicker?
Kane has spent his entire life striking a ball. He does so with power, distance and precision. While the shape of the ball and the target may differ, the fundamental skill set and body mechanics are not entirely dissimilar.
"I take penalties and it is a very similar pressure and technique," Kane noted, though he is not suggesting the transition would be straightforward.
"If I did that, in terms of training, I would be closer to that more than to any other sport. But as I know, with all elite sports, when you watch it on TV, people make it look easy, and you think it is possible, but that is not always the case. If I was to do it, it is something I would take seriously. I would take six months to a year to try and practice before."
Kane wouldn't be the first athlete from another sport to break into the NFL if he succeeded. Football features many skill positions, but also provides openings for naturally talented athletes to master a specific role given sufficient commitment. Even securing a spot on a practice squad is considered a genuine accomplishment.
Louis Rees-Zammit was a decorated rugby player for Wales before earning practice squad spots with the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024. Lawrence Okoye, an Olympic discus thrower representing Great Britain, landed on the practice squads of seven NFL franchises. While making a practice squad is not unheard of, breaking onto a full active roster is an entirely different challenge.
The most relevant examples for Kane are soccer players who successfully became NFL kickers. Matt Bahr had limited soccer experience beyond college level, having played as a defender for Penn State in the mid-1970s. Yet he entered the 1979 NFL Draft as a sixth-round selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers. His NFL career spanned 16 years through 1995, during which he claimed Super Bowl XIV with the Steelers and Super Bowl XXV with the New York Giants.
Currently, former Toronto FC center back Brandon Aubrey—who never made a senior appearance for the MLS club—is a three-time Pro Bowl kicker with the Dallas Cowboys. He played college soccer at Notre Dame and didn't make his NFL debut until the age of 28.
Kane Teases Dual MLS-NFL Career
Major League Soccer has seen its global profile surge in the years following Lionel Messi's arrival at Inter Miami. Robert Lewandowski became the latest marquee name to join the league this past summer when he signed with the Chicago Fire after departing Barcelona.
Kane wouldn't dismiss the idea of prolonging his soccer career with a similar move. But, with age becoming a factor and the NFL a genuine aspiration, could he perhaps pursue both at the same time?
"Maybe if I am in the MLS in the future or somewhere like that it might be a thing where you could connect the two, with the seasons," Kane speculated.
That may once have been a more feasible proposition. The NFL season runs from September through February, making it one of the shortest among major professional team sports. MLS currently operates from February to December. The scheduling overlap is therefore minimal—but MLS is undergoing changes.
To bring itself in line with Europe's elite soccer leagues, 2027 marks the beginning of a new chapter. The 2026 season will conclude as usual, with the regular season ending in early November and the playoffs continuing through the MLS Cup on Dec. 18. The following year will feature a condensed season from February to May, incorporating a mini-regular season and playoffs.
A 2027–28 season will then kick off in late summer, creating a more direct scheduling conflict with the NFL. If Kane is truly serious about giving it a shot, his soccer career—which by that point would be winding down in any case—may have to be the casualty.