Titans Get Gostkowski Back at Right Time
Sam Sloman played hero.
The Tennessee Titans kicker made the game-winning field goal against the Houston Texans on Sunday that won the franchise its first AFC South division title since 2008. For that, he will live in Titans lore forever.
If all goes well, though, he has played his game for the Titans. At least for now.
Veteran kicker Stephen Gostkowkski was returned to the active roster Thursday after more than a week on the COVID-19 reserve list.
“I think Stephen will be back with us (Thursday),” coach Mike Vrabel prior to the day’s practice. “Working through the ramp-up and we'll see where he is at, but he is back in with us. So, we will see where he is at moving forward.”
The 15-year veteran makes his return to the team at the perfect time. While Gostkowski has missed a career-high eight field goals (16-28) this season, it would be hard to find a kicker who has performed as well as he has in the postseason.
If Gostkowski plays on Sunday in the wild card game against the Baltimore Ravens at Nissan Stadium, he will tie Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice for the third-most playoff appearances in league history (29). Only two others, quarterback Tom Brady (42 games) and kicker Adam Vinatieri (32 games), have played in more postseason games.
Signed by the Titans in training camp, Gostkowski spent his previous 14 NFL seasons with the New England Patriots. The four-time Pro Bowler played in 28 playoff games over those seasons and was a part of three Super Bowl victories.
Gostkowski has scored 205 postseason points, good second all-time among kickers in NFL history. He trails only Vinatieri, who scored 238 postseason points over 10 seasons with the Patriots and 14 with the Indianapolis Colts.
A two-time All-Pro selection, Gostkowski has made 39 of his 44 postseason field goals (88.6 percent), tying David Akers for the second-most in league history. Vinatieri has the most (56). He has also made 88 of his 92 extra-point attempts. In Super Bowl appearances, Gostkowski has made 7 of his 9 field goal attempts and 12 of his 14 point-after attempts.
For his career, Gostkowski ranks second among active players with 1,875 points. Among all kickers in NFL history, he is 13th in field goals made (392), sixth in extra-points (699) and ninth in field goal percentage (86.3 percent).
Vrabel did not say if having one of the most successful kickers and postseason performers of all time is a benefit.
He did, however, say that he values the ones that make them.
“That’s it,” Vrabel said. “That’s all we can go by is when they make them. We’re confident that whoever is in there is going to make them.”
When it comes to the postseason, Gostkowski has nearly made them all.
