Source: Rob Carr / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS–Indianapolis Colts kicker Matt Gay was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday. Gay became the first kicker in NFL history to hit four 50+ yard field goals in one game, converting from 54, 53, 53, and 53 yards in the Colts’ 22-19 upset victory over the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday.
His five field goals made in that game and 16 total points were both single-game career highs for Gay. He says field goal kickers don’t have a lot of time before they need to get the kick away, otherwise it can get blocked.
“You get 1.25 seconds to get that operation done. It’s something that takes a lot of effort and precision to get those things right,” said Gay on Wednesday.
Gay says he enters what’s called a “blackout mode” in his mind where he gets really focused on what he has to do before he needs to kick a field goal for the Colts.
“There’s not really a lot of thinking other than ‘Run on the field. Kick and run off’. That’s basically it. It’s kind of like this weird sensation where the snap comes and you just react. The next thing I know I’m looking up and seeing where the ball is going. I don’t really remember the ball hitting my foot. When I’m in that mode, generally things are going pretty well,” said Gay.
Gay signed a four-year, $22.5 million contract with the Colts before the season started. At the time of the signing, Gay’s contract was the largest free-agent contract for a kicker in NFL history.
This Sunday, the Colts play Gay’s former team, the Los Angeles Rams. He played for the Rams from 2020 to 2022 and won a Super Bowl with them.
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