Bullock Delivers Another Clutch Kick

In his first season with the Tennessee Titans, the veteran kicker has more game-winning field goals than has had at any other stop in his career.

NASHVILLE – Randy Bullock been better, statistically speaking.

When it comes to late-game heroics, however, the veteran kicker never has had it so good.

Bullock delivered his third game-winning field goal of the season Thursday when his 44-yard kick with eight seconds to play provided the difference in the Tennessee Titans’ 20-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at Nissan Stadium.

The offense got him in position when it went 49 yards in seven plays immediately after the 49ers tied the contest on a touchdown pass with 2:20 remaining.

“It is always really special to do your job to help the team win,” Bullcok said. “(Thursday) was really special for me individually. I don’t know if many people know this, but it is actually the anniversary of when I lost my father, so it has a little more meaning for me.

“… Obviously, that wasn’t on my mind at the time, but after the dust kind of settled that was one of the first thoughts that came to mind.”

With the win, Tennessee improved to 10-5, and there now exists the possibility that it will have a playoff berth secured before it plays its next game. That is a notable development for Bullock, who has been in the NFL since 2012, played 121 games for six different franchises but never has kicked in a postseason contest.

No one can say he simply has been along for the ride. The 32-year-old (his birthday was last week) has done his part.

The three game-winning kicks are a season-high for him, and one short of the number he made in the 107 games he played before he joined the Titans. It is the same number Stephen Gostkowski had last season, but Gostkowski had done it once in his career during his many seasons with the New England Patriots, a perennial playoff participant.

A game-winning kick is one that provided the final points and gave his team the lead in the fourth quarter or overtime.

“Randy’s been really solid this year,” punter/holder Brett Kern said. “He hit it great in warmups. The wind got a little tricky, kind of, later in the game, but we had it at our backs in the fourth. We have all the confidence in him to go out there and make his kicks.

“He does it in practice. He does it in games.”

Bullock did miss one in overtime in Week 4, which would have given the Titans a tie against the New York Jets. Even so, his 24 field goals overall this season (on 28 attempts) are the most by any Titans kicker since Ryan Succop made 26 in 2018.

Bullock joined the Titans days before their opener as an addition to the practice squad after Sam Ficken was hurt. He took over as the placekicker in Week 2 and quickly earned the trust of players and coaches with a game-winning 36-yard field goal in overtime at Seattle.

He has made more field goals in a season, and he has had a better percentage than he does right now. But he never has made as many clutch kicks or one as close to the anniversary of his father’s death.

“It’s an emotional day every year,” he said. “I lost him December 24, 2004, so it’s been a little while, but you never forget anything like that.”

Chances are, he will remember this season for quite some time as well.