As Gostkowski’s Struggles Continue, Former Titans Kickers Flourish

Three of the four who kicked for Tennessee in 2019 are starters for other teams, the fourth is a practice squad player.

Last season’s kicking issues were a thing of the past. Or so the Tennessee Titans thought.

It turns out that it was the kickers who moved on. The issues remain.

In Thursday’s 34-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium, Stephen Gostkowski missed a 44-yard field goal that would have cut a 10-point, third-quarter deficit to seven. Fewer than three minutes later, the Titans trailed by 17 and basically assured of defeat.

It was Gostkowski’s eighth miss of the season (on 20 attempts), a career-high and the most by any NFL kicker thus far in 2020. At least one attempt has been errant in five of nine games, including four of the last five. He has made just three of his last eight field goals, one of which would have forced overtime against Pittsburgh in the Week 7 matchup of unbeaten teams.

Coach Mike Vrabel’s consistent support of his one-time New England teammate becomes less enthusiastic and less convincing with each passing week.

“(Gostkowski)’s hit some big kicks for us,” Vrabel said Friday. “He’s missed some. He’s had lot that he’d like to have back and we're going to have to continue to evaluate that and see what our options are and make a decision.”

Going back is not an option. All four placekickers who combined to make eight of 18 field goal attempts in 2019 have jobs elsewhere in the NFL. Three of the four are thriving.

Ryan Succop signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 1, two days before the Titans agreed to terms with Gostkowski. Over the past five games, he is a perfect 11-for-11 on field goals, including two games in which he made four apiece. For the season, he is 16-18 and tied for sixth in the league with 74 points.

“I’ve really enjoyed being here in Tampa,” Succop told The Athletic this week. “Obviously, we have a really good team, but I’ve really enjoyed a lot of the guys in the locker room, a lot of our coaches. That’s something that when you play in the NFL for a while — I’ve been fortunate to do that — you really grow to appreciate that.”

His backup is Greg Joseph, who ended last season as Tennessee’s kicker. Joseph has spent the entire season on the practice squad but has been protected from being signed to another team’s active roster each week of the regular, which speaks to the Buccaneers’ desire to have him available if need be as well as the sense that another team might want him.

Cairo Santos started on Chicago’s practice squad but made all five of his kicks (two field goals, three PATs) as a gameday addition for the opener against Detroit. After that he was signed to the active roster. He is now 15-17 on field goals and has set a career-high with a 55-yard kick.

“The thing with Cairo is that he's very confident and he doesn't get [down],” Chicago coach Matt Nagy said, via the team’s website. “If he missed a kick, [he'll think], 'OK, I missed a kick, I'll get the next one,' and I appreciate that about him."

Cody Parkey was signed off Cleveland’s practice squad and became the Browns’ kicker in Week 2. He is 10-for-11 in seven games with his lone miss coming in his most recent outing.

Succop was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 8 after he made four field goals and one PAT. The last of his field goals, with four minutes to play, provided the winning margin in a two-point triumph over the New York Giants. Two weeks earlier, Santos won the same award when he made all three field goals he tried, including the one from 55 yards, and two PATs in a victory over Carolina.

Succop, Santos and Parkey have combined for five missed field goals on more than twice as many kicks as Gostkowski has attempted.

“We’ve got confidence in (Gostkowski),” general manager Jon Robinson said last week “He's a pro. He handles pressure and I'm sure he puts more pressure on himself than we do, but we’ve got confidence in him to go out there and put a foot on the ball and put it through.”