As a rookie out of Notre Dame, all kicker Blake Grupe wants to do is ingratiate himself to the New Orleans Saints. The best way for any kicker to do that is to simply do their job — make their kicks and move on.
This does not guarantee that security will know who they are, though.
According to a tweet after the Saints’ 26-24 opening preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs — where the Chiefs’ defense was victimized without Chris Jones — Grupe was mistaken not once but twice for being a fan at the Superdome. First, when Grupe tried to step onto the field by getting his credentials questioned. Then, after hitting the game-winning kick in the final moments, getting stopped by security again because they thought he was a fan trying to use the player exit.
Oof. How awkward (but amusing, still!):
Step 1: get questioned walking onto the field pregame for not having credentials
Step 2: hit a game winner
Step 3: get stopped by security thinking I was a fan when trying to walk out the player exit
Stay humble. Thankful. Great team win! @Saints #WHODAT
— Blake Grupe (@blakegrupe) August 13, 2023
SAINTS WIN!!!
Blake Grupe kicks a 31-yd FG to give the #Saints a 26-24 win vs the Chiefs pic.twitter.com/D4wmjQC8ix
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 13, 2023
To be fair to Saints security, most NFL players are large, physically gifted, and rare athletes. And you know it just by looking at them. By contrast, Grupe is a listed 5-foot-7, 156 pounds. If he wasn’t wearing the Saints uniform, I could easily see someone mistaking him for a non-NFL player.
If Grupe keeps making his kicks, I have a hunch that snafus like this won’t happen again.