Colts kicker Matt Gay: ‘I don’t get paid to make kicks in practice’
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Colts kicker Matt Gay has struggled to start the season.
He has missed two of his five field goals, with both of his misses being over 50 yards.
In the preseason, he struggled as well. He missed three field goals in two games, with two of the three being over 50 yards.
Despite his struggles in games, Gay said he is performing well at practices and during pregame warmups.
“I’m hitting the ball extremely well,” Gay said. “And I don’t want to get in this wild goose chase that something is wrong because the ball is coming off my foot really, really good. Unfortunately, I don’t get paid to make kicks in practice and in pregame. Got to make the ones in the game.”
Gay did miss the first game of the season while recovering from a hernia.
While the makes have not been there for him so far this season, he still has confidence in himself to turn it around.
“I have full faith and confidence in myself that I’m going to come out of this and I’ll be able to make those kicks in the game when they need them,” Gay said.
Throughout the preseason and the start to the regular season, Colts head coach Shane Steichen repeatedly said that he had confidence and trust in Gay. That sentiment changed a little bit this week, but he is still sticking behind his kicker.
“Yeah, I mean Matt’s (Gay) our kicker,” Steichen said. “He’s been doing it for a long time. Obviously, he missed the kick yesterday, and he knows he’s got to make those going forward, but he is our kicker.”
Steichen also added that Gay’s misses have not affected his play calling at all.
The support from Steichen and everyone else in the locker room has been helpful for Gay.
“Everyone in this building has been great to me,” Gay said. “That gives you the confidence and the faith to go forward and keep pushing through and know that it’s going to click.”
All of Gay’s misses (three in the preseason, two in the regular season) have been wide left. When asked about why they are all missing left, Gay said that he is not trusting his target line.
His miss against the Steelers came early in the second half, before the Steelers started to make their comeback. It would have put the Colts up 20-3.
Gay takes ownership of the miss, knowing that if the outcome of the game was different, the reaction to his missed kick would be different.
“We lose that game by three, I think things are different,” Gay said. “I know that. I’m aware of that.”
At the end of the day, Gay just wants to be able to contribute to the team.
“I want to make kicks for this team,” he said. “That’s what I’m concerned about.”
Heading into the season, Gay was the fourth highest paid kicker in the NFL, making an average of $5.6 million a year. He is signed through the 2026 season.
The Colts travel to Jacksonville this week, looking to end a nine game losing streak there. The game is set to kick off at 1 p.m.
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