Following Monday’s practice ahead of their Week 1 opener against the Houston Texans, head coach Shane Steichen announced that Colts’ kicker Matt Gay is dealing with a groin injury.
When Steichen was asked if Gay would practice this week, Steichen said, “we’ll see,” leaving his status for the team’s Week 1 matchup up in the air at this time.
https://twitter.com/JakeArthurNFL/status/1830681391736201375
On the practice squad, the Colts brought back rookie Spencer Shrader with Gay dealing with this injury. Appearing in two of the Colts’ three preseason games, Shrader would make all four extra point attempts and both field goals, including a 56 yarder.
Gay would have an up and down preseason. While he made all five extra point attempts, he as just 1-for-4 on field goals, with two misses from 50-plus yards.
At this time, we do not know when Gay began dealing with this injury, but for what it’s worth, after kicking the first extra point attempt in the preseason finale against Cincinnati, Shrader would attempt the 56 and 41 yard attempts later in the game.
Both Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard have expressed the confidence they have in Gay as their kicker.
“No,” said Ballard when asked if he was concerned about Matt Gay. “He’s a good kicker. A really good kicker.”
Gay is coming off a 2023 season–his first with the Colts–where he made 33-of-41 attempts. Five of those eight misses would come from 50-plus yards–although in Week 3 against Baltimore, he did become the first kicker to make four kicks in a game from 50 or more yards, including the game-winner.