Sticking With Jake Elliott Is Only Sensible Path For Eagles

PHILADELPHIA - There are always choices in life, and the Eagles have chosen to “love up” struggling kicker Jake Elliott.

Elliott missed three kicks Saturday at Washington, all wide left, and the veteran kicker has gone from one of the game’s best in 2023 to one of the NFL’s statistically worst over the past two seasons.

Whenever Philadelphia’s fifth consecutive postseason run ends, the choices end for GM Howie Roseman.

At the very least, competition must be brought in for Elliott.

However, with Week 17 looming and at least a No. 3 seed in the NFC virtually locked up for Philadelphia, this is not the time to upset the apple cart with flawed alternatives.

Jake Elliott pic.twitter.com/UmEmDk78lm
— John McMullen (@JFMcMullen) December 23, 2025

“[Jake’s] had such a great career with so many highs, but like any player, he’s had some moments of struggle as well, and all I’ve ever seen him do is get up out of that and rise from that,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said. “I know he went through some struggles last year and ended up having however many field goals and extra points in the Super Bowl and in the NFC championship game.

“So I have no doubt in my mind about the competitor he is and the way and how mentally tough he is to be able to rise from this situation as well.”

Further pressed on whether the Eagles will bring in any kickers to push Elliott this week, both Sirianni and special teams coordinator Michael Clay signaled status quo.

"Full steam ahead," Clay told Eagles On SI. "Obviously love him up, keep his confidence up. Obviously
he's hit a lot of big kicks for this franchise, some big kicks this year also, so just keep pushing that full steam ahead with him and just keep loving him up as we move forward because it's going to come down to a point where we're going to have to call on him and he's shown that he can do it."

The Status Quo

Eagles STC Michael Clay | John McMullen/Eagles on SI

“I love the roster the way it is, and I have a ton of confidence in Jake and that he’ll rebound from whatever setbacks that he has,” Sirianni said.

In a 29-18 win over the Commanders on Saturday, Elliott missed from 47, 57 (which was wiped out by a penalty), and 52 yards.

Each kick was the same type of miss – wide left – which in some ways is better because it highlights the same kind of mechanical flaw rather than multiple issues.

In what has been a historic season for kickers league-wide, Elliott has gone backward, connecting on 17 of 24 field goals (70.8 percent), including 4 of 8 (50 percent) from 50-plus. Conversely, the league averages in those two categories are 85.4 and 67.4.

Those numbers for Elliott entering the season were 84.8 and 61.4.

There is context, including a persistent stretch of wind games at Lincoln Financial Field, as well as the bandying back and forth at long snapper between Charley Hughlett to Cal Adomitis and back to Hughlett.

In a bottom-line business for a Super Bowl contender, nuance is a luxury the Eagles and Elliott can’t afford.

To his credit, Elliott didn’t shy away from any issues after the Commanders, noting that he’s healthy and striking the ball well.

“I understand it’s a production-based business,” Elliott said. “You see [changes] all the time. So, that’s out of my hands. That’s out of my control.

“All I can do is kind of put my head down and keep pushing.”

Elliott’s history as a postseason kicker is what the Eagles are defaulting to. He’s made 26 of 27 field goals in the playoffs and was the kicker for both of the franchise’s Super Bowl championships.

The bet is that Elliott can recapture the magic for at least a month starting in January and kick the can down the road on his future rather than test fate with a street free agent with Christmas Day approaching.

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