Frank Reich: Adam Vinatieri 'Is the Answer' Despite Struggles, Kicker Workouts
November 13, 2019
The Indianapolis Colts are not turning away from one of the best kickers in league history even though he has struggled this season.
"Adam is our kicker," head coach Frank Reich said of Adam Vinatieri on Wednesday, per Stephen Holder of The Athletic. "Chris and I have talked about the situation. Obviously there have been other kickers in here ... When you take a look, we believe Adam is the answer."
Reich added that it is general manager Chris Ballard's job "to always know what's out there" when it comes to holding kicker workouts, per Holder.
The coach's comments come after ESPN's Dan Graziano reported Tuesday that the Colts worked out free-agent kickers because they "want to get a look at what their options are in case they decide to make a change."
Vinatieri's job status has not been a primary discussion for much of his career.
He is a three-time Pro Bowler, three-time first-team All-Pro selection and four-time Super Bowl champion who made one of the most famous kicks in NFL history to give the New England Patriots a Super Bowl XXXVI win over the then-St. Louis Rams.
He won three of his rings in New England from 1996 through 2005 and has been on the Colts since.
However, the 46-year-old been a shell of his former self this season. Vinatieri is just 14-of-19 on field goals and 14-of-20 on extra points, and his 73.7 field-goal percentage would be his lowest mark since the 2003 campaign.
It is also a far cry from when he connected on 85.2 percent of his attempts just last year.
Vinatieri connected on a mere one of his last four extra points and missed a critical PAT in Sunday's four-point loss to the Miami Dolphins. Had he made that one, the Colts could have kicked a field goal from the red zone and forced overtime during their final possession.