Chase McLaughlin Doesn’t Chase Success, He Chases Something Greater

“So, I think from the first moment I got in the league, being with Stephen Hauschka, just seeing how he handled himself as a professional, the way he worked, his work ethic, his routine, all that stuff, as well as all the other guys I listed was a big eye-opener for me and just what it looked like to be a professional.”

The resumes of those kickers speak for themselves, as they were among the most accurate legs in the game at that time and for many years before then. It took several more years for McLaughlin to establish himself in the same way.

A wild 2019 season saw him bounce around to five different teams, making 18 of 23 field goals. 2020 was more of the same, as he saw action with the Jaguars and Jets. In 2021, he finally got his first opportunity as a full-time kicker with one team when the Browns gave him a shot. McLaughlin went through ups and downs in Cleveland before getting a second chance with the Colts in 2022.

That would be his best year yet, but the lessons he learned from those veteran kickers continued to shape his process throughout his journey around the league.

“It was a part of it, for sure,” McLaughlin said of what he learned early in his career. “Just dialing in your individual routine and what that looks like to be a professional. It’s not just on the field, it’s in the recovery, it’s the day-to-day, the meetings, all of that feeds into being a professional. Seeing them do it firsthand was the most eye-opening part for me.”

For Chase McLaughlin, Success Is Just A Byproduct

In 2023, McLaughlin beat out Rodrigo Blankenship to win the Bucs’ kicking job. Since then, he has established himself as one of the NFL’s most reliable kickers.

What stands out most about his Tampa Bay tenure is his accuracy, especially from distance. Not only has McLaughlin made 100 of his 110 field goal attempts at a 90.9% clip, but he has also connected on 29 of 33 field goal attempts from beyond 50 yards out at an impressive 87.9% clip. To that end, he gives plenty of credit to the special teams operation in recent years.

“It’s been a fantastic operation here,” McLaughlin said. “Every year it’s been great snap, great holds, and it’s made it easy for me. Again, getting some longer kicks in practice consistently and trusting that has helped, too. Yeah, more reps at it and hitting them more often so that I feel comfortable going out there and obviously getting a feel of our stadium and things like that. So, there’s a bunch of things, a bunch of pieces to it, but yeah, it’s been great times with success at long distances.”

McLaughlin’s football success tells only part of his story. His faith gives him an even greater sense of purpose, and that takes on added meaning inside a Bucs locker room that has opened the 2026 season 0-3.

For McLaughlin, those outcomes do not define him — and he believes the same is true for many of his teammates.

“Your faith and your following in Jesus Christ, He speaks — the Bible talks a lot about, like you said, trials and tribulations,” McLaughlin said. “And just that if you look to the things of this world to find joy and peace, you’re going to be lost your whole life.”

McLaughlin then recites one of his favorite Bible verses to me that speaks volumes about his and the team’s mindset in the midst of struggles.

“One of my favorite verses is Matthew 6:26, which says, ‘Birds of the air do not sow nor reap nor gather into barns. Yet our Father in heaven still feeds them. Are you not of more value to our Father in heaven than they are?’ It’s such a humbling verse because it puts it all in perspective of, like, what is life more than just eating and drinking? That’s just what we need to survive. Everything else on top of that is just — is just bonus.

“I know there’s a lot of guys on the team with a solid foundation in Christ, and I think it helps us out a lot in times like this of, like, ‘Hey, even if it was the flip side, even if we’re doing great, even if we started amazing,’ it’s still just — humbling. A lot of guys in this locker room who are followers of Christ know that their worth doesn’t come from success on the field.”

Obviously, McLaughlin and the rest of the team want to turn things around. Being winless entering Week 4 is where no player, coach or front office executive wants to be. The Bucs have shown resilience under head coach Todd Bowles in the past, climbing out of midseason losing streaks to make the playoffs. This time, though, they need to find a way to make those corrections immediately.

So, how does McLaughlin believe the Bucs can turn things around this season?

“I’ve been a part of winning teams and losing teams before in my career, a bunch of different teams,” McLaughlin said. “Not to undermine what’s happened the last three games, but we’re not getting blown out by 30 points a game. So, it’s minute changes. We just need to find a way for every person just to do their own job and finish the game, really. I mean, it’s been close games. We just got to pull it out in the end.”

Chase McLaughlin knows what it is like to go through trials and tribulations. His NFL journey has taken him through plenty of them, but he is more than just a kicker. To McLaughlin, there is more to football than chasing the highs of making game-winning kicks. He continues to chase the process and give the glory to God.

For McLaughlin, the answer is not complicated.

Prepare. Follow the routine. Do your job. Stay grounded in something bigger than the scoreboard.

The results, good or bad, are simply the byproduct.