Connections: Daniel Carlson, Jacob Bobenmoyer have a special bond with the state of Colorado

Sep 06, 2023 at 06:07 PM

Levi Edwards

Digital Team Reporter

One of the biggest challenges of playing in Denver, Colorado, is the high altitude, with Empower Field at Mile High notoriously sitting 5,280 feet above sea level. That shouldn't be a problem for special teamers Daniel Carlson and Jacob Bobenmoyer, who are pretty familiar with the climate.

The Raiders First Team All-Pro placekicker hails from Colorado Springs, Colorado, roughly 70 miles south of Denver. Carlson originally aspired to be a soccer player, but was convinced by a family friend, who happened to be the special teams coordinator for the Classical Academy, to trying out as a kicker for the school.

"They didn't have a kicker freshman year and he knew I played soccer," Carlson said. "So he asked my parents and said, 'Hey, would he be interested in trying it out?' We went out to the high school field, I made an extra point and he was like, 'You got the job if you want it.'

"From then on, I basically showed up for games, just showed up on Friday nights and played and that was about it. Eventually I started really enjoying football and decided I got to cut away some from soccer and transition that into football. And I just continued to fall in love with it and get better at it."

In Carlson's NFL career, he's made 75 percent of his field goals at Mile High without a single missed extra point, and in last season's victory in Week 11, Carlson set a career-long with a 57-yard field goal.

"At the time, it was a pretty big kick in the game too. If I remember correctly, it was in the fourth quarter," he said. "It always feels good to make field goals for your team no matter what. Honestly, the longer ones are always more important because [of] the field position if you miss those kicks.

"Happy to just help the team. Cool to be able to do that back at my home where I always have a lot of friends and family visiting whenever we get to play there."

Daniel Carlson still considers Colorado “home sweet home” growing up in Colorado Springs, 70 miles south of Denver.

He set his career-high for longest FG made (57) last season in the #Raiders overtime road victory against the Broncos. pic.twitter.com/yYeeVL4klG
— Levi Edwards (@theleviedwards) September 7, 2023

Carlson's new long snapper also made a name for himself in Colorado before arriving to Las Vegas. Bobenmoyer was a long snapper and linebacker at the University of Northern Colorado. In 31 games as a Bear, he accumulated 24 tackles (10 solo) and blocked a punt. Additionally, he was voted a Phil Steele fourth-team All-America long snapper in 2018.

"It's located close to my home in Wyoming, so most of my family and friends were able to come and watch me for our home games," Bobenmoyer reminisced of playing at Northern Colorado. "I'm a big outdoors guy, so there, you can pretty much go anywhere. Even in the middle of Denver, you can go 20 minutes each way and be out in the wilderness and enjoy God's creation."

Following his college career, he moved roughly 60 miles south from Greenly, Colorado, to Denver. He signed with the Denver Broncos as a UDFA in 2019, before ultimately winning the starting long snapper job in 2020. He saw action in 46 games with the Broncos, 33 of those under special teams coordinator Tom McMahon who now has the same role with the Silver and Black.

"It will be different for sure. It will be surreal, really just making sure I go into the right locker room at halftime," Bobenmoyer joked of returning to Mile High. "Seeing faces that I saw going into camp last year that were on my team, now they're on the other side of the ball."