Tag: kicker

Wisconsin kicker enters the transfer portal

Wisconsin kicker enters the transfer portal

Wisconsin kickoff specialist Gavin Lahm announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on Saturday.

The former walk-on is the 15th Badger to enter the portal since the team’s season concluded on Nov. 29. He is the second walk-on to do so, joining offensive lineman Manny Mullens.

Related: Wisconsin football 2024 transfer portal tracker

“First, I want to extend my gratitude to the University of Wisconsin for providing me with the support and opportunity to play football while furthering my education,” Lahm wrote on X. “It has been an honor to be a Badger and play for my home state…After much deliberation, I have decided to enter the transfer portal with one year of eligibility.”

The Kaukauna, Wisconsin native joined the Badgers program in 2022. He played a total of 30 games over three seasons, primarily as the team’s kickoff specialist. 67 of his 135 career kickoffs went for touchbacks (49%), with an overall average of 62.2 yards. He also recorded one solo tackle during the 2024 season.

Lahm never won the job as Wisconsin’s starting placekicker. Nate Van Zelst and Vito Calvaruso split the job in 2022, while Nathanial Vakos has held the position for each of the past two seasons.

The junior kicker enters the portal likely looking for an opportunity to start. That was unlikely at Wisconsin with Vakos likely returning for 2025.

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Wil Lutz reacts to joining impressive list of NFL kickers

Wil Lutz became the fifth-fastest kicker in NFL history to reach 1,000 career points on Monday.

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz made history against the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football this week.

Lutz, 30, went 2-of-2 on field goal attempts and 5-of-5 on extra point attempts in a 41-32 win over the Browns, giving him 11 total points on the night. Lutz has now topped 1,000 career points in 127 games. He was the fifth-fastest kicker in NFL history to reach that milestone.

Player Games Points
1. Justin Tucker 118 1,008
2. Stephen Gostkowski 119 1,009
3. Mason Crosby 124 1,005
4. Mike Vanderjagt 126 1,004
5. Wil Lutz 127 1,009

“Grateful for this journey, and everyone whose had a hand in it 🙏,” Lutz wrote on his official Twitter/X page on Monday after the game.

Lutz ranks ninth among active players with 1,009 career points. He spent the first eight years of his career with the New Orleans Saints before following coach Sean Payton to the Broncos in 2023.

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Wil Lutz had a funny response to Bo Nix’s comments about settling for field goals

Broncos QB Bo Nix said he’s proud of Wil Lutz, but he only wants the kicker to have to attempt extra points. This is how Lutz responded.

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz had a big performance against the Las Vegas Raiders last week, going 5-for-5 on field goal attempts and 2-for-2 on extra point attempts in a 29-19 win on the road.

Following his 17-point day, Lutz was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Broncos players are, of course, happy for Lutz’s success, but quarterback Bo Nix doesn’t want to settle for that many field goals going forward.

“When we get into the red zone, we have to score,” Nix said last Friday. “One thing that we didn’t do great last week. Wil Lutz got another Player of the Week because he’s kicking five field goals. We’re proud of him and he’s doing a great job of when he gets out there, but we’re trying to have him only make 15-yarders from the extra point standpoint. We have to continue to be efficient when our moment comes and continue to score touchdowns. That’s what has worked in the past and in a game like this, primetime, that is how you win games. You have to score points.”

Lutz had a perfect response to his quarterback’s statement:

Lutz has been named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week twice this season and Nix has won three straight Rookie of the Week awards. The kicker joked that he’s just trying to keep pace with his QB. So long as the Broncos continue to win, Lutz can win all the awards he likes.

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Broncos kicker Wil Lutz wins weekly award

This was Wil Lutz’s second time winning the award in 2024.

After the Denver Broncos‘ win over the Las Vegas Raiders, kicker Wil Lutz earned another personal accolade of his own.

Lutz was awarded AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors after going 5-for-5 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points. Lutz’s 17 points proved the critical difference in the Broncos’ 29-19 win over the Raiders. Lutz made field goals of 33, 38, 45, 53 and 54 yards in the win.

Week 12 was the second time Lutz won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in 2024. Lutz also won the award after Denver’s Week 3 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In 2024, Lutz has been exceptional for the Broncos. Lutz has made 24-of-27 field goals (88.9%) and a perfect 26-of-26 on extra points in 2024. After being traded to Denver in 2023, Lutz has been 54-of-61 on field goals and 55-of-57 on extra points.

There are five games left for Lutz to improve on those numbers before the season ends. Up next is a Monday Night Football showdown with the Cleveland Browns in Week 13.

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This is why Alex Singleton was Wil Lutz’s biggest fan on Sunday

“He’s very grateful,” Wil Lutz said of scoring for Alex Singleton’s fantasy football team. “He reminded me of that after every one of them.”

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz had a big game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.

Lutz converted 38-, 53-, 54-, 45- and 33-yard field goals and converted two extra-point attempts, accounting for 17 of Denver’s 29 points on the day.

Nobody was happier about Lutz’s performance than injured Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton, who started his teammate in fantasy football.

“17 points, but 22 points for Alex Singleton’s fantasy team,” Lutz said after the game. Singleton’s league must give bonuses for long field goals. “He’s very grateful. He reminded me of that after every one of them.”

Lutz is 13-of-13 on kicks since the team’s last-second field goal attempt against the Kansas City Chiefs was blocked in Week 10.

“Listen, he’s been kicking well,” coach Sean Payton said after a 29-19 win in Las Vegas. “His Kansas City kick got blocked, but it was a good kick. That was on us as coaches. That wasn’t on any individual player. Wil is doing well. Shoot, he’s got a live leg. He was solid today. Yeah, his body of work has been really good.”

Lutz is 24-of-27 on field goal attempts this season with a long of 54 yards. He’s 26-of-26 on extra points attempts, scoring 98 points so far in 2024.

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Do the Commanders still have a kicker problem?

Do the Commanders still have a kicker problem?

For about seven weeks, everything went right for the Washington Commanders. During that stretch, Washington won six of seven games, had an offense and rookie quarterback that were the envy of the NFL, and even found themselves a kicker.

Since then, the Commanders have lost three consecutive games; the offense has struggled, Jayden Daniels has looked like a rookie at times, and, well, maybe they haven’t found a kicker after all.

During Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys, kicker Austin Seibert missed a field goal and two extra points. The second missed PAT was most costly as it prevented the Commanders from tying the game and sending it into overtime.

Before Sunday, Seibert had made 25 of his 27 field goals and all 22 of his PATs. It’s important to note that he missed the last two games due to a right hip injury before returning on Sunday.

After the game, a lot of unfair hate was directed at Seibert. People often forget it’s just a game. These are human beings, and all make mistakes. Seibert didn’t lose Washington this game. We could go through all four quarters and name 10 plays or players that negatively impacted the outcome.

But it is fair to ask if the Commanders still have a kicking problem. Washington’s kicking woes have only been overshadowed by its QB woes. Fans believed GM Adam Peters found a quarterback and kicker in the same season.

What should Washington do?

The Commanders should stick with Seibert unless he completely falls apart in the coming weeks, as misses happen. He’s proven reliable and consistent. It’s fair to wonder if the hip still bothered Seibert on Sunday. He, of course, denied it and took full responsibility.

Washington has been on the kicking carousel for years. Heck, the Commanders were on it for three months this year after they released veteran Brandon McManus.

The knock on Seibert was his inaccuracy over 50 yards. He did hit one over 50 yards on Sunday and missed another. However, something head coach Dan Quinn said after the game was a bit concerning.

“It’s harder to kick it out than you think,” Quinn said of Seibert potentially kicking the ball out of the back of the end zone. “And so, I thought it was really honestly from the kicking standpoint executed well. If you have to stop your feet and get one to go, that’s the challenge. If you can get it to hit the ground, that’s what you’re trying to do into that spot, but that’s the difference.”

Statistics show it’s not hard for every team — only Washington. Was Quinn saying Seibert’s leg strength is a liability on kickoffs?

Regardless, Washington had chances to bring down KaVontae Turpin on Sunday and failed. Outside of that, the Commanders have been excellent at covering kicks this season.

Sunday was a bad day for everyone in Washington, including Seibert. He deserves the opportunity to make things right next week against Tennessee.

Otherwise, the Commanders go back to the carousel, and that’s not where Quinn or Peters want to go.

Chiefs K Spencer Shrader describes the moments before his game-winning field goal

Kansas City #Chiefs kicker Spencer Shrader describes the moments before his game-winning field goal | @EdEastonJr

The game-winning drive led by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs offense has led to their conference-leading 10-1 record after Week 12. The field goal to win in regulation differed as rookie Spender Shrader stepped in for injured starter Harrison Butker.

Steadier spoke with the media during his postgame press conference on Sunday, explaining his mindset heading into the game-winning moment.

“I think the biggest emotion in that moment is gratitude and happy that I was able to go out and perform for the team. When you join an organization like the Chiefs, there’s a championship culture and a standard to uphold,” said Shrader. “For me, I just wanted to come in and do my best for the team for as long as I’m here. I was grateful to be put in this situation today and to step up and put up a couple of points up there. But, it’s a team effort at the end of the day, so I’m just really grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this team.”

The Chiefs’ final drive to put Shrader in position wasn’t a shock to the former Notre Dame standout, who is well aware of the offensive players’ talent and gusto.

“I try to prepare myself before that. You know the talent of the guys on your team, who your quarterback is, and who your offensive weapons are,” said Shrader. “So I knew I’d be getting an opportunity, so I just tried to stay calm, understand that it was going to come at some point, and when it did come, I was ready. That comes from belief in the team that they’re going to get you in that situation, and you go out there and just knock it through.”

Shrader has been perfect since signing with the team after two games and appears to fit the team’s culture and winning system.

Chiefs Dave Toub shares his reason for signing rookie K Spencer Shrader: ‘He was our number one guy’

Kansas City #Chiefs Dave Toub shares his reason for signing rookie kicker Spencer Shrader: ‘He was our number one guy’ | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs were in scramble mode last week ahead of their Week 11 matchup with the Buffalo Bills. Harrison Butker’s injury and immediate placement on injured reserve led to the signing of rookie Spencer Shrader, as special teams coordinator Dave Toub explained the decision to reporters on Thursday.

“Every year, we rate all the kickers coming out. A lot like (Harrison) Butker, he (Spencer Shrader) was our number one guy coming out; we had him number one on our list,” said Toub. “He was a guy obviously we targeted, we looked at, and we liked him early, and then he was on the practice squad, so we took a shot and got him. We’re happy we got him. He’s got a strong leg. We haven’t seen a lot of him but in practice, he’s looked really good.”

Shrader is on his third team since going undrafted in April. He filled in for the Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets before being signed off their practice squad last week. He didn’t have a field goal attempt with the Chiefs in Week 11 but did connect on his extra-point attempts.

Ravens kicker blames Week 11 field conditions for missed field goals

Justin Tucker says the field surface in Pittsburgh “wasn’t ideal” after missing two field goals in Week 11, while Chris Boswell was perfect.

Sorry, Justin Tucker: no one is buying the excuses you’re trying not to make for your lackluster Week 11 performance. For fans unaware of the recent developments behind Tucker’s post-game comments, the Ravens kicker initially accepted fault for his two missed field goals during the contest but ultimately pointed to poor field conditions in Pittsburgh as a contributing factor.

When asked if the field conditions at Acrisure Stadium directly contributed to his two missed field goals, Tucker tried to avoid deflecting blame, but ended up doing just that: “I wouldn’t say the surface was an issue, but it wasn’t ideal.” He doubled down on the less-than-ideal field claims, adding, “Throughout the course of the game, the most action takes place between the hashes, and it naturally just gets chewed up.”

While some speculated that the field conditions could have been affected by the Panthers-Clemson CFB game on Saturday, Steelers kicker Chris Boswell had no issues. Boswell made all six of his field goal attempts in Week 11, including an impressive 57-yard bomb.

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Chiefs HC Andy Reid addresses the Harrison Butker injury: ‘We’ll see how it all goes’

Kansas City #Chiefs head coach Andy Reid addresses the Harrison Butker injury: ‘We’ll see how it all goes’ | @EdEastonJr

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has managed to keep his team undefeated through numerous injuries and has added another starter to the growing list. The veteran coach announced to reporters on Friday the status of Harrison Butker after news broke on Thursday that the kicker will be placed on injured reserve.

“Alright, as far as the injuries go, (Harrison) Butker is the main one there. He did this in practice, tried it on Thursday and tried to warm up and get going and then wasn’t able to do it. Then, we took care of that.” said Reid. “Then, it was confirmed what it was, and so we – he ended up having surgery this morning.”

Butker’s injury is his meniscus, and he posted on social media that the surgery was successful early Friday morning. Reid also confirmed that he should be able to return this season once he’s healed from the procedure.

“So, the surgery was successful. We’ll see how it all goes, time-wise. I mean, I can’t tell you time-wise, but within that, we brought Spencer Shrader in to do the kicking,” Reid said. “He’s a young guy, so his resume isn’t long, but the ones he’s had, he’s done a nice job with, and he felt comfortable with that, along with Dave Toub, so we invite him in, and he can, you can do the kicking going forward here until but is able to return.”

Reid is confident in Butker’s replacement. Shrader played in Week 10 for the New York Jets and successfully replaced their injured kicker.

“He’s got a very strong leg, and he’s done well. “said Reid. “They used him, obviously elevated him at the Jets, so they had a couple of kickers there, and obviously they favored him.”

The Chiefs face the Buffalo Bills in a crucial AFC rivalry matchup this Sunday, which could affect their postseason seeding.