Thomas James Feely (born May 23, 1976) is a former professional football player. He started his playing career as a placekicker with the Florida Bobcats in the Arena Football League (AFL) as a free agent in 1999 before playing for several National Football League (NFL) teams. Following his retirement, until 2025, Feely worked as a reporter and analyst for the NFL on CBS.
Feely played college football for the Michigan Wolverines. He was also a member of the AFL's Tampa Bay Storm and in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, and Chicago Bears. He was a member of the Pro Football Weekly All-Rookie Team with the Falcons in 2001.
In 2025, Feely announced he would run for Arizona's 5th congressional district as a Republican in 2026. Feely is seeking to succeed Andy Biggs, who is running for governor of Arizona.
As a rookie with the Falcons in 2001, Feely converted 29 of 37 field goal attempts (78.4%) and all 28 extra point attempts. He also converted 14 of 15 field goals away from the Georgia Dome. His 115 points tied him with the Eagles' David Akers for second in the NFC, behind only Rams kicker Jeff Wilkins. Feely converted a 55-yard attempt against the Arizona Cardinals on September 30. He also caught one pass for -2 yards from Falcons punter Chris Mohr on a fake field goal attempt. For his performance during the season, Feely was a consensus all-rookie selection.
An exclusive-rights free agent in the 2002 offseason, Feely was tendered a one-year, $300,000 contract by the Falcons on February 22. He signed the deal on June 7. That season, he converted 32 of 40 field goal attempts (80 percent) and all but one of 43 extra point attempts. His 32 field goals tied him with Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Martín Gramática for most in the NFL. It also broke Morten Andersen's previous franchise record of 31 set in 1995. Feely earned NFL Special Teams Player of the Week honors after converting three field goals of more than 40 yards against the Carolina Panthers on October 20, and eventually earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Month honors for converting 9 of 10 field goals and all nine points after touchdowns. In 2003, Feely converted 19 of 27 field goal attempts (70.4 percent) and 32 of 33 extra point attempts.
On March 6, 2004, the Falcons re-signed Feely – a restricted free agent – to a one-year contract worth $628,000. That season, he achieved a field goal percentage of 78.3 by converting 18 of 23 tries. He connected on all 40 of his extra point attempts that season. On September 19 against the St. Louis Rams, he recovered his own onside kick. In two playoff games, Feely was a perfect 2-for-2 in field goals and 7-for-7 on PATs.
During his first season with the Dolphins, experienced the most productive season of his career and in franchise history. He missed just two of his 23 field goal attempts, setting a new franchise record for field goal percentage at 91.3. The record had previously been 90.5 percent by Mare in 2001. Through the 2007 season, Feely had converted 164 straight extra point attempts and had created five recovered onside kicks.
During the 2008 offseason, it was reported that new Dolphins Vice President Bill Parcells did not like Feely's outspoken nature and that he would not be assured a roster spot despite his 2007 success. The Dolphins released fellow kicker Dave Rayner on June 6, leaving only undrafted rookie Dan Carpenter (Montana) to challenge Feely for the team's placekicking job in 2008. He was released by the Dolphins on August 12, 2008.
Through 10 games, Feely had made 16 of his 20 field goal attempts (80.0%), with an average of 35.1 yards and a long of 55 yards and converted all 23 PATs for a total of 71 points. Feely reportedly began working out his upper body five days a week in the Jets new training facility, saying, "I work out hard in the weight room just so I don't get injured." His workout primarily centered on deadlifts. Profile, sports.yahoo.com;accessed August 16, 2015.
On March 4, 2009, Feely re-signed a one-year contract with the Jets. Jets, Feely Agree to 1-Year Deal, SportingNews.com, March 4, 2009.
In Week Six of the 2009 season against the Buffalo Bills, Feely broke Pat Leahy's record of 23 consecutive field goals, hitting his 24th. However, he missed his next attempt in the second-quarter, leaving the team record at 24.
On December 21, 2009, Feely went 0–2 in field goal attempts. He "shanked" a 38-yard try and had a 37-yarder blocked, as the Jets lost to the Atlanta Falcons 10–7. On January 9, 2010, Feely recorded his first career punt in a playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals, when he was unexpectedly pressed into service after his teammate Steve Weatherford was sidelined with an irregular heartbeat.
Atlanta Falcons (7–9) | 115 |
Atlanta Falcons (9–6–1) | 138 |
Atlanta Falcons (5–11) | 89 |
Atlanta Falcons (11–5) | 94 |
NYG (11–5) | 148 |
NYG (8–8) | 107 |
Miami Dolphins (1–15) | 89 |
NYJ (9–7) | 111 |
NYJ (9–7) | 122 |
ARI (5–11) | 107 |
ARI (8–8) | 90 |
ARI (5–11) | 100 |
ARI (10–6) | 127 |
Chicago Bears (5–11) | 14 |
After missing three field goals for the Giants in an overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks in 2005, Feely was the subject of a Saturday Night Live sketch. The NFL Films parody, entitled The Long Ride Home: The Jay Feely Story, featured comedian Dane Cook as Feely on the Giants' five-hour flight home from Seattle, where he is forced to land the plane through two large radio towers that look like field goal posts.
Feely joined the CBS Sports Network in 2015 as a color analyst covering college football. "CBS Sports Network adds Jay Feely, announces 2015 college football schedule", CbsSports.com, August 19, 2015. Beginning in 2017, Feely also served as a color commentator for CBS' NFL telecasts, working alongside Beth Mowins, the first full-time female NFL play-by-play announcer. In 2018, he was set to be color analyst with play-by-play partner Mowins on the #8 team of NFL on CBS for Weeks 13 and 17, but he settled for sideline reporter for Weeks 10 and 17 as the #5 announcing team. He also joined neurosurgeon, CNN medical reporter and fellow Michigan alum Sanjay Gupta as a commentator on the Wolverines' TeamCast for the school's appearance in the 2018 NCAA Men's Final Four, airing on TNT. When he is not working as analyst, he is the reporter for the #4 team for the NFL on CBS. In 2021, Feely teamed up with Dedes and started on the #7 team of NFL on CBS for Week 1 while James Lofton was away; Andrew Catalon and Tiki Barber teamed up as the #6 announcing team, and Tom McCarthy and Aaron Taylor teamed up as the #5 announcing team. He and Dedes served the #6 team of NFL on CBS for the rest of the 2021 and 2022 seasons. In 2023, Feely teamed up with Tom McCarthy and Lofton to stay at the #6 team.
Feely's father, Thomas J. "T.J." Feely, is a former College of St. Thomas running back and also a tennis coach who owns the Feely Kicking School of Tampa, Florida. Feely enjoys golf and has played with the Mater Dei golf team on multiple occasions.
Feely and his wife, Rebecca, live in Arizona. The couple have four children, one of whom, Jace, is the kicker for the University of Colorado. Feely is also close friends with former college teammates Tom Brady and Desmond Howard.
Feely has appeared on Fox News' Hannity talking about his disagreements with President Barack Obama's policies and whether he is running for president.Hannity's America, September 24, 2009.
In 2011, Feely became a member of School of the Legends, and contributes to the organization with instructional videos, which focus on his position as a kicker.
Feely is a supporter of Donald Trump, and called it an honor to play golf with him on August 15, 2020. In April 2025, Feely told ESPN that he would run as a Republican for the U.S. House of Representatives in Arizona's 5th congressional district in 2026, seeking to succeed Andy Biggs, who is running for governor of Arizona. During his campaign, he described himself as a fiscal conservative, social conservative, and "pro-business", endorsing Trump's Liberation Day tariffs.
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