Adam Vinatieri may be a legend, but this season, he has not resembled anything of the sort.
The veteran Indianapolis Colts kicker has missed six extra points and five field goals this year, most recently misfiring on an extra point attempt during a 16-12 loss to the Miami Dolphins last Sunday.
However, in spite of his struggles, Colts head coach Frank Reich is sticking by Vinatieri.
“Adam is our kicker,” Reich said, according to Stephen Holder of The Athletic. “Chris (Ballard) 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.”
Vinatieri has been a member of the Colts since 2006 and helped Indianapolis win a Super Bowl during his first season with the club. He also made a Pro Bowl while also earning a First-Team All-Pro selection in 2014 when he made 30 of his 31 field-goal tries.
Obviously, those days are long gone for the 46-year-old.
Vinatieri, who played his collegiate football at South Dakota State, went undrafted but eventually landed with the New England Patriots in 1996. He spent the first 10 years of his career with the Patriots and developed a reputation as the most clutch kicker in NFL history, playing a significant role in three Super Bowl titles during his time in New England. He also made a couple of Pro Bowls and notched First-Team All-Pro honors twice during his stint with the Pats.
To use an old and tired cliche, Father Time is undefeated, and it appears that Vinatieri is finding that out the hard way in 2019.
The Colts are 5-4 this season.
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