Matt Burton may remain with the Canterbury Bulldogs until the end of the 2027 NFL season, but he has previously expressed interest in playing in the NFL.
The world’s premier gridiron league has seen a number of Australians achieve international success while earning the enormous money that comes with playing major American sports.
Burton’s impressive kicking ability in the NRL has sparked interest from talent scouts.
It’s a skill that’s in high demand in the NFL, so it’s no surprise that the supremely talented Burton, who could also play center in 2024, has piqued the interest of scouts from around the world.
In a recent appearance on the Let’s Trot Podcast, Burton expressed interest in a switch he had previously considered.
“Maybe down the track,” Burton said on the Lets Trot podcast.
“You never know.
“It’d be a mad job to go over there, kick the footy and get paid a motza. I’m a bit young now and it’s a big move. I don’t know.”
His agent David Riolo told The Bye Round Podcast with James Graham in 2022 that he could go to the USA and be a success tomorrow.
“Look, that is not on our radar at this stage. He has been approached by scouts to do stuff like that (the NFL combine) and kick,” Riolo said at the time.
“He could do it tomorrow the way he kicks a ball, but he wants to play footy and he is only young and has goals.”
Commentators regularly play Burton’s bomb kicking up for all its worth on TV coverage of games, but it’s certainly a discussion – no player in the NRL has a bomb to rival his.
The specialist roles in the NFL would allow Burton – or other NRL players for that matter – to enter the competition based on what they have shown in a vastly different sport.
Opportunities for American eyeballs to watch the NRL are increasing too on the back of the NRL’s call to play games in Las Vegas for the next five years, which will see all 17 – and potentially 18 by the time the deal expires – teams make the trip halfway around the world at least once to open the season.
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