Jay Feely, who played in the NFL for 14 years as a kicker, is running for a seat in the House as a Republican in Arizona’s 5th Congressional District.
Feely played from 2010 to 2013 for the Arizona Cardinals and also played for the Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, New York Jets, and Miami Dolphins. He finished his career with the Chicago Bears in 2014.
He is aiming to replace Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), who is running for governor of Arizona in 2026, the same year as Feely’s House race. After his NFL career, Feely worked as a broadcaster for CBS Sports for 10 years before he left the network on Tuesday.
Feely said President Donald Trump and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) asked him to run for Congress in 2022, but he declined. He has now reversed course, citing the assassination attempt on Trump last July as the reason for his run.
“The lawfare that Democrats did against President Trump, and you watched him get shot. That was a big moment for me. I remember starting to really think about running for office the day that he got shot,” he told Fox News Digital.
Feely said he is running because he wants to be a civil servant, not a career politician.
“I’m excited about this next chapter of my life,” Feely told ESPN. “I think that I feel God’s calling pressing me into service, and that’s really what I believe it is, is the civil service. I don’t believe we have enough politicians that get into political office not for self-serving measures and that get into political office and don’t want it to be a career, and that’s what I believe.”
“I believe it is very much a civil service,” he added.
Feely launched his campaign website on Tuesday, which touts his NFL career and lays out his political priorities. “Jay Feely earned a reputation in the NFL for his performance on the field, but it’s his integrity, commitment to serve, and dedication to American values that truly define him,” it says. “As a devoted husband, father and grandfather, and 15-year resident of the East Valley, Jay is now running for Congress to defend our freedoms, secure the border, and reignite the American Dream.”
“A staunch supporter of President Trump and the America First Agenda, Jay aims to bring the same toughness and discipline from his football career to Washington,” the website says.
Feely believes he is uniquely qualified because of his time as a football player and broadcaster. He thinks the experiences have contributed to his ability to remain calm under pressure and his public speaking skills. He also spent time as the NFL Players Association representative, fighting for players’ right to insurance.
“And I think that’s one of your biggest jobs as a congressman is to be able to communicate to your constituents, be able to talk about the issues of the day and why you believe the way you believe and to be able to do it in a way that people can understand it,” he said.
Feely already has the endorsement of Jordan and will hope to earn Trump’s support as well.
The Republican primary in Biggs’s district includes former Arizona House Speaker Pro Tempore Travis Grantham.
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The former kicker made 332 of 402 field goals in his regular season career and nailed 449 extra points out of 452.
While he never received a Pro Bowl berth, Feely was the subject of a 2005 Saturday Night Live sketch that mocked him after he missed three field goals in an overtime loss against the Seattle Seahawks while he played for the Giants.
