Current congressional candidate and former Arizona Cardinals place kicker Jay Feely made exactly two rushing attempts during his NFL career – huge considering most NFL kickers never run the ball once.
Remarkably, Feely gained yards on those two attempts. One run was even intentional, i.e. not a botched snap. It was a faked field goal and resulted in Feely scoring a touchdown.
Will another unexpected run in a different sport lead to a similar outcome for Feely in Washington D.C.? I’m not talking about a coaching gig with Major League Soccer’s DC United (à la Ted Lasso) or anything like that. Rather, the former NFLer is trying to score a touchdown in the sport of politics – where the hits land just as hard.
Mimicking his playing days, Feely already has a pair of runs. In April 2025, he announced his candidacy in Arizona’s 5th Congressional District (CD-5) – the East Valley seat Andy Biggs is vacating to run for governor. Not eight month later, Feely entered a second congressional race – which is definitely odd, since there hadn’t been an election in the first. What gives?
Well, to use a football analogy, Feely punted in CD-5. Now, the Gilbert resident is running in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District (CD-1) – a seat representing parts of North-Central Phoenix and Scottsdale which ironically is also being vacated by a GOP gubernatorial hopeful: David Schweikert.
Does Feely re-identifying as a Phoenix-Scottsdalian to run in CD-1 make him a carpetbagger? His opponent in the Republican primary, John Trobough, thinks so and said as much at their GOP debate in May.
I’m not the biggest fan of people changing races mid-stream (especially since CD-1 is my district) and I know some consider it a “head fake” to start running in one direction only to juke in another, but I would argue Feely’s hand was forced. When he switched races, Feely said, “I know that no one player is more important than the well-being of the team… the best way I can serve our GOP team is to defend this crucial [CD-1] Republican seat.”
The move was forced by former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb jumping into the CD-5 race and instantly receiving President Trump’s endorsement. Trump hinted that Feely should move to CD-1 and when he did, the president endorsed him, too
In addition to his Cardinals career, Feely played for the Jets, Falcons, Dolphins, Chiefs and Bears. He’s used to going where he’s needed.
In 1982, John McCain ran his first political race in Arizona’s (then differently shaped) 1st Congressional District – where a primary opponent called him a carpetbagger.
As the son of a Navy officer, McCain grew up everywhere. Later, as a Navy officer himself, he spent years as a POW in Vietnam. In a pivotal campaign moment, he told his opponent he didn’t have the luxury of “spending my entire life in a nice place like the 1st district of Arizona.”
Feely’s story doesn’t come close to matching McCain’s nor will his political career likely be as bright. But it feels like his move gives the GOP its best chance to hold a district that’s very flippable for Democrats. He kicked a lot of 50-yard field goals in his career. Now we’ll see if he can make like the Feely of old and run one into the D-1 end-zone – from about 25 miles away.
Jim Sharpe is the host of Arizona’s Morning News on KTAR-FM 92.3 (weekdays 5-9 a.m.). Visit ktar.com to find more information about his on-air work.
