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The New England Patriots are releasing kicker Stephen Gostkowski, according to multiple reports.
A hip injury cut short Gostkowski’s final season in New England in 2019. The team placed Gostkowki on injured reserve to heal. He finished the season kicking 7 of 8 on field goals and 11 of 15 on extra points. His 14-year career in New England comes to an end with a 87.4 field goal percentage and a 98.3 extra point percentage.
The news comes during an offseason of significant turnover for the team, with quarterback Tom Brady leaving for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He and Gostkowski are one of many notable Patriots to leave the team, including Duron Harmon (traded to Detroit), Kyle Van Noy (signed with Miami) and Jamie Collins (signed with Detroit).
New England has no kicker on the roster. Nick Folk, who took over for Gostkowski in 2019, is a free agent.
BREAKING: The #Patriots are releasing K Stephen Gostkowski today, per league source. Three-time Super Bowl champ is the franchise's all-time leading scorer. Story upcoming on https://t.co/BIqlcKzPKK
— Jim McBride (@globejimmcbride) March 23, 2020
Gostkowski won three Super Bowls with New England, and he earned four Pro Bowl selections after the Patriots drafted him in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft.
“Steve Gostkowski‘s one of the greatest kickers of all time. He’s been great for this franchise,” Belichick said in October.
That’s an enormous compliment from Belichick, who has always valued special teams more than most coaches in the NFL.
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