Colts Kicker Rodrigo Blankenship Receives AFC Honor, Has Early Lead for Another

The Indianapolis Colts rookie kicker, who is first at his position in initial Pro Bowl voting for the AFC squad, was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after a 14-point effort, including the game-winning overtime field goal, in Sunday’s win over Green Bay.

INDIANAPOLIS — “Hot Rod” had a good Wednesday.

Indianapolis Colts rookie kicker Rodrigo Blankenship was announced early in the day as the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 11 after scoring 14 points, including a 39-yard, game-winning field goal in overtime, in Sunday’s 34-31 home victory over the Green Bay Packers at Lucas Oil Stadium.

By day’s end, early Pro Bowl voting results had Blankenship first for the AFC kicker job at 44,865. He’s the only Colts player leading at a position.

The 23-year-old undrafted specialist from Georgia said after Sunday’s game that he knew the deciding field goal was good from the moment his right foot struck the ball. It was the first-game winning field goal of his NFL career.

“I feel like a freshman all over again, having a lot of first-time experiences,” Blankenship said, referring to his standout college career in which he finished with the Lou Groza Award, bestowed upon the nation’s top kicker.

Rodrigo Blankenship boots a 39-yard field goal in overtime.

Trevor Ruszkowski/USA TODAY Sports

He also made kicks of 37, 32, and 43 yards. But before his memorable moment in overtime, Blankenship was literally praying on the sideline for a chance at redemption because of a 50-yard miss earlier, when the football was on line but bounced off the crossbar.

“I just did a quick prayer,” he said. “I said, ‘God, I feel like you’re looking out for me and you’re giving me a chance here at redemption, so thank you, and just help me to do my job if the opportunity comes.’”

On just the second play of overtime, Colts safety Julian Blackmon split a double-team block and knocked the football loose on a wide receiver screen, then defensive tackle DeForest Buckner recovered at the Packers’ 29-yard line.

Blankenship looked up at the video board, then back to the field, where his teammates were celebrating the turnover. And he turned his focus to being ready for the eventual field goal.

“Nothing changed in that moment from any of the kicks previous to that,” he said. “It was just trying to be as repeatable and as consistent as I can be with my process and just trust that’s going to be lead to repeatable, consistent results, and that’s what happened.”

Blankenship has made 23-of-26 field goals and 25-of-27 extra points for 94 points, which ranks second in total points this NFL season. He also ranks second in field goals made.

He’s tied for fifth in field goals made and ranks seventh in total points for a player in the first 10 career games in NFL history. Each are a Colts record.

“It just felt incredibly special,” he said. “I’m incredibly blessed to be here. God gave me a chance at redemption and just prove that I could be resilient, stick it out, and bounce back. I was incredibly blessed to have that chance.”

Blankenship is the third Colts player to earn AFC Player of the Week honors this season, joining cornerback Xavier Rhodes (AFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 3) and linebacker E.J. Speed (AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 10). Blankenship is the first Colts rookie to earn AFC Special Teams Player of the Week recognition since wide receiver T.Y. Hilton earned the distinction in Week 12 of the 2012 season.