Punt at your own risk https://t.co/Hb0rD4oqNs pic.twitter.com/VKwKIcdOPm
— Blake Gillikin (@blakegillikin) August 21, 2022
Come on, man. Blake Gillikin returned to New Orleans after a record-tying preseason game against the Green Bay Packers to learn that he’s been randomly selected for NFL drug testing. Gillikin shared the news on his personal Twitter account, which remains unverified though he’s used it often since he became a highly-rated high school recruit back in 2014.
It isn’t unusual to see players called in for random testing this time of the year. But the optics couldn’t be worse given Gillikin just booted an 81-yard punt for the New Orleans Saints a few days ago while dropping several other balls deep inside enemy territory. He’s established himself as a weapon for the Saints in the kicking game, and this big game in Green Bay is just the latest proof of it.
And, hey: look at Gillikin following in his mentor’s footsteps. His predecessor Thomas Morstead was also memorably popped for random performance-enhancing drug testing back in 2019, just days after he shared an intense workout video on social media. Hopefully the tests clear Gillikin of any wrongdoing and he can get back to flipping the field on Sundays.
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