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From his days kicking at Fisher Field for the Warsaw Tigers, to setting Southeastern Conference records at Missouri to working his way through the United Football League and tryouts with the National Football League’s Carolina Panthers and New York Jets, Harrison Mevis has looked for consistency in his performance as a kicker. It’s been in that striving that has landed him in Los Angeles as the incumbent kicker for the Rams heading into the 2026 season.
Mevis spoke with the Times-Union earlier this week via phone from the Rams training camp at Loyola Marymount University in the Westchester section of Los Angeles, not far from SoFi Stadium, the home of the Rams and host of Super Bowl LXI this January. He said that he’s going about his business this camp in much the same way as he handled his professional football tryouts.
“Carolina, Jets, UFL. Honestly, I think it's all the same,” he explained. “It's a new year. Nobody cares about what you did last year or the year before. It’s all about, ‘what are you going to do now?’
“So, really, it's just the same intensity going out there; pushing myself to make as many field goals as I can, be consistent, and be a guy this team can rely on going into some really tough games here.”
While every position in the NFL has pressure to perform, Mevis has noted his teammates and the coaches have supported him even on the rare occasions when things didn’t go his way. Both Rams and Chicago Bears fans remember the kick Mevis made as time expired to win a playoff game in Chicago, which definitely gave him a boost of confidence.
The only field goal Mevis missed during his half-season with the Rams was a 48-yard attempt in a regular-season game at Seattle, a place notoriously difficult for visiting team to play. But even then, the kicker’s teammates were supportive. Hitting the game-winning field goal in the Chicago playoff game didn’t really change things.
“The only thing that changed was that I just had finally hit a game-winner in an NFL game, which is what I'd been training for the last you know, ever since I started taking. So, kind of just reap the rewards.
“I'd say a little more confirmation that I can do it. I know that I've had the ability to come in and change games and I think I can make a difference. And this team needed someone that did that. It was a fun moment just because it was my first game winner. But I can't say it changes anything.
“I missed one, but we were still in the game. It was ‘on to the next.’ Obviously guys said ‘next one,’ but I mean, it's a business, so you know you got to go out there and make a kick and, um, acknowledge that and make the next one.
Mevis missed but one kick in his single season in the UFL, in addition to the miss in Seattle.
“That’s not too bad. But when you miss, what are you gonna do? It's time to move on to the next play. It's always the next play mentality. Some guys get caught up in their misses and that's where it can go wrong.”
Mevis said there is a clear contrast kicking professionally, as opposed to his college days in Columbia, Mo.
“It's definitely different when you're on scholarship. In college, you're kind of guaranteed to be the starter. Here, it doesn't matter whether you're a 10-year vet or a rookie, there's always a list of guys waiting for you to mess up.
“I've been on the list of not being on a team for a little while, and I know that list is very long and there's guys that would feel to be in the position that I'm in. So, it's just not taking anything for granted and continuing to go out there and prove what I can do. You can't take anything for granted in this league, and this game will humble you in one smack; there's no doubt.”
In at least one way, Mevis caught a break in landing with the Rams. During his tryouts with both the Panthers and Jets, the teams had just hired new head coaches. Meanwhile, Rams head coach Sean McVay has had great success as the Rams head man, with a pair of Super Bowl appearances and a title after the 2021 season. Last season, LA narrowly missed a return to the Super Bowl in Nevis’ rookie year.
“Sean McVay has a great squad here; it’s a really good (coaching) staff, really welcoming,” Mevis said. “This was the most welcoming team that I've been a part of. I felt at home immediately. There are great, great guys in the locker room, and there's a really good brotherhood here. There's really good camaraderie and everyone here is excited to go into the building every day and get to work and try to go win some games. That was one of the main things that stuck out to me, the staff and just the welcomingness of them.
The 24-year-old is also enjoying his time in one of the world’s most famous cities. He’s also gaining an understanding of his role in such a place.
“Honestly, I think it's just being a part of something bigger than myself,” he said. “I think we’ve got a really good squad here. Obviously, the LA Rams are a well-known team. So it's just a blast to come out here and kick few footballs, win some games, then come back and be in a really good city, really good weather city and there’s lots to do here. It's a blast. So I'm just having a lot of fun with it right now and going about things one kick at a time.”
