While he was a Washington Redskin, Nick Novak kicked a last-second, 47-yard field goal to beat the Dallas Cowboys.
FILE PHOTO BY WILL WALKER

NFL training camps are just moving into full swing, and an Albemarle High School grad has a shot at getting back into professional football. Nick Novak is fighting for the chance to be the Kansas City Chiefs’ kicker for the upcoming season, as teams across the league begin to pare down to their final roster for the 2008 season.

Novak is vying neck and neck– er, foot and foot– with rookie Connor Barth for the job. According to the Kansas City Star, “Both missed their first field-goal attempts, which were 38 yards, but made their next three. They kicked field goals as long as 42 yards.”

Novak is no stranger to pressure-packed situations. In 1996, two days after he sat for a Hotseat interview, the Hook was there when he suited up as a Washington Redskin for a game against arch-rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. With six seconds to go and the game tied, Novak missed a 49-yard field goal attempt– only to watch the Redskins block the Cowboys’ own kick to win the game. With no time left on the clock, Novak went from goat to hero when his 47-yard second attempt squeaked through the uprights to give the ‘Skins the win.

Thus far, that’s been the apex of Novak’s professional career. Weeks after that game, the Redskins waived Novak after his accuracy proved too inconsistent. Last year, the former Patriot standout inked a deal with the Chicago Bears, but he didn’t make it through training camp before the Bears cut him.

The Chiefs will finalize the roster after their last pre-season game Sunday, August 28.

July 30 update: The Topeka Capital-Journal has an interesting piece about Novak and Barth, who are old friends and roommates at Chiefs camp.

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