Colts: Revisiting the Cody Parkey trade that eventually resulted in his demise
Cody Parkey’s NFL journey began with the Indianapolis Colts back in 2014.
When the dust settled after the 2014 NFL Draft, Auburn kicker Cody Parkey wasn’t selected in the first seven rounds. But it didn’t take long for him to find a home after the Indianapolis Colts signed him as an undrafted free agent.
Parkey was a solid college kicker but boasted a strong leg that would fit on most NFL teams. Though the Colts inked him to a deal, everyone knew the chances of him making an impact were slim, due to the presence of Adam Vinatieri.
So when Indy traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles for running back David Fluellen (who?!), it’s safe to say fans weren’t surprised one bit. And to bring it full circle, Parkey tried out for the Colts last year!
#Colts brought in 6 kickers for tryouts, per @FieldYates: Cody Parkey, Elliott Fry, Greg Joseph, Younghoe Koo, Cole Hedlund and Chase McLaughlin.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 17, 2019
Anyway, here’s a quick summary before we dive into Parkey’s career. Fluellen logged zero snaps with the Colts and didn’t make his NFL debut until 2017 with the Tennessee Titans, with whom he’s logged 37 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries in three seasons.
This was a nothing for nothing trade. The Colts didn’t need Parkey and Fluellen didn’t do anything for them. But what this deal DID do was open the door for Parkey to thrive … and then come crashing down.
He was a Pro Bowler in 2014 with the Eagles, but a torn groin in 2015 paved the way for Jake Elliott to take the starting job and never look back. Parkey would then endure starting stints with the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins before his doomed run with the Chicago Bears.
After a career year in Miami during which he hit 91.3% of his field goals, the Bears signed him before the 2018 season in hopes of finding a permanent solution after (stupidly) letting Robbie Gould leave in free agency. Parkey struggled, though, hitting just 76.7% (23-of-30) of his FG attempts, and then did this in the playoffs:
Upright. Crossbar. Out. pic.twitter.com/nWtpr4LyGB
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) January 7, 2019
Yup, that would’ve been the Bears’ first playoff win in eight years. Instead, a double-doink against his former team sent Chicago packing and led to horrific media coverage. Fans were infuriated with the veteran. He even went on the Today Show to talk about it! He was then trolled when 103 Bears fans attempted that same 43-yard attempt in a competition organized by Goose Island Beer Company.
A few weeks later, the Bears cut Parkey, and have continued to endure struggles at the kicker position. As for Parkey, he resurfaced this past season with the Tennessee Titans and went 3-for-3 in his FG attempts (two over 40 yards and one over 50!) when starter Ryan Succop missed time with an injury.
Wouldn’t it have just been easier to be Vinatieri’s backup for five years?
