Adam Vinatieri will return for a 24th NFL season. The Colts inked a new one-year deal with the kicker, the team announced.
Vinatieri owns four Super Bowl rings and is the league’s all-time leading scorer, so he has nothing left to prove. Still, Vinatieri’s love of football has not waned, so he is eager to return for his age-46 season. Should the Colts reach the playoffs in 2019, Vinatieri will be booting kicks as a 47-year-old.
“If they’re wanting, I can’t imagine (I’d) not keep playing, you know?” Vinatieri said earlier this month.
Vinatieri nailed 85% of his field goal tries (23-for-27) for a second straight year and connected on a 54-yard field goal for a third straight season. He made four 50-plus-yard field goals — the fourth straight year he has connected on at least four from beyond 50 yards. He did miss an extra point and a field goal inside of PAT distance in the Colts’ divisional round loss to the Chiefs, but he’s still one of the league’s most reliable legs.
“I will say this: do I think he can still kick in this league and be a really good kicker? Absolutely I do,” GM Chris Ballard said recently. “He is as important a guy in that locker room. I don’t know if I have been around a special teams player that has as much impact as Adam (Vinatieri) does in the locker room. From a positive standpoint, all of our young guys that come in get to see Adam Vinatieri work, rehab, prepare his body every year, be a pro, handle the hard times, handle the good times. I mean all of that, what Adam brings, brings a lot of value to this team.”
Only two players — kicker Morten Andersen and quarterback/kicker George Blanda — have played either a 24th season or past their 47th birthdays. Once again, Vinatieri has his eye on smashing a new record.
The deal was first reported by Zak Keefer of the Indy Star (on Twitter). Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) reported the length of the contract.
Long live the GOAT
Still miss him in NE. Keep kicking Adam!
Legend
Why? Is kicking that fulfilling? Take the money and go away.
Well not everyone gets to have a job as fulfilling as this….
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colts need 3 kickers b/c adam doesn’t do kick-offs or punts.. smh
All teams carry a kicker and punter. Usually the kicker does handle kickoffs but some teams have their punter kickoff. Rigoberto Sanchez kicked off last year for them and will probably do the same again this year.
Sanchez the punter does kickoffs, Colts only need 2 not 3
really they have 2 a kicker and a punter / kicker. to set the story straight
Get your story straight Guest617. You don’t dis the GOAT. Loser.
Resigning Adam Vinatieri is what’s best for business.
He must have his trousers custom made. I can’t imagine his legs would both be the same length after 24 years of kicking.