Legendary UGA Kicker Rodrigo Blankenship Signs With the Tampa Bay Bucs

Earlier this week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosted legendary former UGA kicker Rodrigo Blankenship for a minicamp tryout. Following that tryout, the Bucs announced on June 15th that Blankenship would sign with the Bucs.

Blankenship joined the team following his tryout on June 13th, giving him the first chance to kick for an NFL team since his injury and being ultimately cut by the Indianapolis Colts. The tryout also included Baker Mayfield heckling one of his former opponents in Blankenship, stating, "I still don't like you," regarding the Rose Bowl during the 2017 season, a game which the Bulldogs won to advance to the national championship game.

Blankenship broke a record in that Rose Bowl game, setting a record for the longest field goal in Rose Bowl history, on top of a very accurate leg throughout his college career, eventually leading to Blankenship signing a UDFA deal with the Colts. In his rookie season, Blankenship was a solid placekicker for the Colts, but the following season didn't have the same fortune.

Blankenship dealt with a hip injury throughout his rookie season and only played in five games for the Colts that year. In week one last season, Blankenship missed a field goal and placed two kickoffs out of bounds, which was more than enough for the Colts to cut him. The Arizona Cardinals then signed the "Hot Rod," where he played two games for them before being sidelined with a torn muscle in his leg.

Blankenship has since recovered from his surgery and is wanting to solidify himself as a kicker who can produce for an NFL team. "Hot Rod" has that chance this season, as he will compete against Chase McLaughlin during camp for their shot to be the Bucs kicker for the 2023 season and after. Blankenship will also be joining former teammate and Georgia punter, Jake Camarda, who was drafted by the Bucaneers in the 2021 NFL Draft.

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