By BRAD KEITH
Stephenville Empire Tribune
STEPHENVILLE - Garrett Lindholm is just excited to be back in the National Football League.
Now it's time to go back to work.
"I'm just excited to have a place in the NFL to call home again, and I want to make the most of it," said the former Tarleton State kicker after signing a future/reserve contract with the St. Louis Rams. "For now I'll just keep working out, keep my body strong I can kick the ball naturally."
Lindholm went 15-18 on field goal attempts including 7-9 from 40 yards and longer to help Tarleton State to a share of the 2009 Lone Star Conference championship. He was a candidate for the Fred Mitchell Outstanding Place Kicker Award after hitting a 55-yard game-winning field goal on the final play against Midwestern State and an NCAA Division II playoff-record 64-yarder on the last play of regulation to force overtime in a Texan playoff victory at Texas A&M-Kingsville.
The Pflugerville native was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent, and also spent time in camp with the Indianapolis Colts. He kicked for the Milwaukee Mustangs of the Arena Football League last year, going 20-32 on field goals and 82-98 on PATs.
He says young kickers don't have the same advantage on their more experienced counterparts that they used to.
"Since they moved the kickoff up five yards, us young guys don't have the power advantage anymore," he said. "Everyone can reach the end zone."
But Lindholm says he doesn't focus much on what is different about kicking in the NFL. He simply envisions himself making the kick, just as he did in the 2009 playoff game in Kingsville.
"The guys are a lot bigger and taller and they're coming a lot harder," he said. "It kind of changes the trajectory you need, but really I don't think about that. I just try to put the ball over the cross bar."
Lindholm is one of three current NFL players with direct ties to Stephenville. In addition to SHS product Kevin Kolb being with the Arizona Cardinals, Tarleton product James Dearth is still listed as a free agent.
Dearth was drafted in the sixth round in 1999 by the Cleveland Browns and spent nine seasons as a deep snapper and tight end with the New York Jets. He became a free agent in 2009 and has since been signed and released by the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots.
