Cody Rhodes placekicking drew attention at Fanatics Fest in New York City after a video circulated showing the WWE star try — and fail — to split the uprights from roughly 50 yards. The short clip, filmed on a phone amid a crowded activation, has been widely shared on social media and prompted a mix of amusement, sympathy and explanation from viewers.
Cody Rhodes placekicking: a closer look
What the video shows
The viral clip captures a public activation at Fanatics Fest. Rhodes walks up to a field-goal setup, takes a running approach and kicks. The ball falls short of the uprights and does not split them. In the background, a voice can be heard egging him on, saying, “Bro, I’ll do it from 45,” which helps explain how the moment unfolded in a spontaneous fan setting.
The footage appears to be a single, unedited phone recording taken during the event. It shows the approach, the contact and the crowd reaction immediately after the kick. Those are the elements that made the moment shareable: a known personality attempting an athletic feat in public, with audible crowd banter and a quick visual result.
A closer look at the kick
Two straightforward points are clear from the recording: the attempt was from about 50 yards, and the ball did not make it through the uprights. Beyond that, the clip does not show a full special-teams setup like you would see in a game — no certified holder and snap sequence, and none of the controlled conditions professional kickers train under.
That matters because placekicking relies on a number of precise factors. Kickers practice foot placement, plant foot angle, body lean and contact point on the ball. They also train for timing with a snap and holder and for handling noise and pressure in stadiums. A one-off attempt at a crowded activation does not replicate those conditions.
Why placekicking is harder than it looks
Observers — including outlets such as Outkick Sports — have pointed out that placekicking is a specialized skill. Strong athletes can generate power, but distance and accuracy come from refined technique and repetition over time. Viewing the clip through that lens helps explain why Rhodes, a high-level performer in another sport, came up short.
Fans and commentators often compare a casual activation kick to a professional field goal and call it an embarrassment. But several commenters urged context: a wrestler’s training and a kicker’s training are different. Many replies under the clip noted that most non-kickers would struggle in the same situation.
Fanatics Fest context and reaction
Fanatics Fest is a multi-day experience in New York City that mixes athletes, brands and fans. It has been described as a Comic‑Con for sports lovers: short public activations, autograph lines and promotional challenges populate a compact, noisy footprint. Those conditions encourage spur-of-the-moment dares and on-the-fly attempts.
In this case, viewers watching the video suggested Rhodes may have been encouraged or teased into the attempt. That observation — reported as viewers’ impressions rather than a claim about Rhodes’s intent — helps explain the vibe in the clip. The crowd banter and quick setup fit a public activation more than a planned athletic showcase.
Reactions online ranged from light teasing to defense. Some replies made jokes; others pushed back and asked audiences to be charitable. The most common defense is pragmatic: a public activation is not a fair test of a skill that often requires years of focused practice.
Takeaways
• The video shows Cody Rhodes attempting a roughly 50-yard field goal at Fanatics Fest; the kick did not split the uprights.
• The attempt happened in a public activation with crowd noise and no professional special-teams setup.
• Placekicking depends heavily on technique, timing and repetition; observing the miss does not mean Rhodes lacks athletic ability in his own sport.
• Viewers suggested he may have been encouraged to try the kick on the spot; that is an impression drawn from the clip, not a confirmed motive.
Source attribution: coverage and commentary on the clip and its spread were reported by Fox News — Outkick Sports. For the original story and more context, see the Outkick Sports piece linked below.
Source: Fox News — Outkick Sports
