Stephen HolderApr 10, 2025, 12:56 PM ET
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- Stephen joined ESPN in 2022, protecting the Indianapolis Colts and NFL at huge. Stephen completed first position in column writing within the 2015 Indiana Related Press Media Editors festival, and he’s a prior top-10 winner in explanatory journalism within the Related Press Sports activities Editors nationwide contest. He has chronicled the NFL since 2005, protecting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2005-2013 and the Colts since 2013. He has prior to now labored for the Miami Usher in, Tampa Bay Instances, Indianapolis Celebrity and The Athletic.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts on Thursday moved on from kicker Matt Homosexual, freeing the extremely paid veteran two years right into a four-year contract.
Homosexual arrived in Indianapolis in 2023 as a loose agent to a lot fanfare after successful a Tremendous Bowl and creating a Professional Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams. The Colts lured him to Indianapolis with a four-year deal value $22.5 million, on the time essentially the most profitable contract given to a loose agent kicker. However the transfer by no means in reality paid off for the Colts, with Homosexual changing simply 82.1% of his box objective makes an attempt (64 of 78) throughout the previous two seasons — together with a surprising 50% luck fee on makes an attempt of fifty yards or longer (11 of twenty-two).
Ahead of his time with the Colts, Homosexual transformed 17 of 23 makes an attempt from 50 yards and past (74%), together with 12 of 15 in 3 years with the Rams.
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Homosexual, 31, battled accidents now and then throughout the previous two seasons, together with a hernia that required surgical treatment throughout the 2024 preseason. Homosexual returned in Week 2 and mentioned his well being was once now not a think about his struggles.
“Kicking could be very, very psychological,” Homosexual mentioned. “I have been excellent from 50-plus in my profession, and I’ve complete self belief going ahead that I will be able to make those kicks. I have proven that I will be able to do this.”
On the identical time, the Colts looked as if it would echo that self belief in Homosexual. Trainer Shane Steichen, requested again and again about his kicker, caught with him.
“Matt’s our kicker,” he mentioned in October. “He is been doing it for a very long time … He is aware of he is were given to make the ones going ahead, however he’s our kicker.”
The Colts signed kicker Spencer Shrader final month. He was once 5-for-5 on box objective makes an attempt throughout his rookie season in 2024, spending time with 3 groups, together with the Colts.
The Colts have discovered it difficult to search out kicking consistency since taking part in 14 seasons with three-time All-Professional kicker Adam Vinatieri. He final kicked for the staff in 2019, and Indianapolis has cycled thru a lot of kickers within the intervening seasons.
A fifth-round select by way of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019, Homosexual has a profession luck fee of 85.5% on box objective makes an attempt (165 of 193) and 96.3% on PAT makes an attempt (206 of 214).
