Reports: Patriots sign K Stephen Gostkowski to four-year deal
The New England Patriots signed kicker Stephen Gostkowski to a contract extension for four years and more than $17 million, reports Patriots.com.
The Patriots placed their franchise tag on Gostkowski in March, designating him a $4.1 million salary for 2015. The NFL’s deadline for teams and players reaching agreements on long-term deals was 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
Gostkowski, 31, has spent all nine of his NFL seasons with the Patriots. Over 136 games, he has converted 243 of 280 field-goal attempts for an 86.8% mark that ranks third among active kickers.
The 2014 season was Gostkowski’s best as he converted a career-high 94.6% of his field-goal attempts (35 of 37).
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The Patriots drafted Gostkowski in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL draft out of Memphis, immediately tasking him with replacing Adam Vinatieri, who spent 10 years in New England.
Gostkowski has played full 16-game seasons in every year of his career except for 2010, when a torn quadriceps muscle limited him to eight games.
- Mike Fiammetta
