Earlier this month, the Indianapolis Colts made a series of shocking moves. First, they signed Kansas City Chiefs kicker Spencer Shrader, and less than a month later, sent starting kicker Matt Gay to the curb. That Matt Gay was gone wasn't something most people were upset about. Despite his previously stellar career, he never managed to find a similar level of success in Indianapolis.
Gay was originally selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, though he ended up getting waived the end of that season. After a brief stint with the Colts practice squad, he signed with the Los Angeles Rams, where his career took off. He helped take the team to a Super Bowl championship in 2021, and was named to the Pro Bowl. In 2023, he returned to Indianapolis, and was given an absolutely insane four-year, $22.5 million contract - the largest free-agent contract for a kicker in NFL history.
At first, all seemed well - in Week 3 of the 2023 season, he became the first kicker in NFL history to hit four 50+ yard field goals in a single game. But after getting injured, he never quite was able to rebound. He ended the 2024 season with an 83.8% completion percentage, the 24th best percentage in the NFL among kickers with at least 10 attempts.
For now, though, Gay's career will continue, as the Washington Commanders have not only signed him, but also gave him a historic contract that will leave Colts fans laughing.
Washington Commanders sign kicker Matt Gay to historic contract
The Commanders gave Gay a $4.25 million, fully guaranteed contract for one year - the largest guarantee ever given to a kicker in NFL history. And while Gay did have some standout seasons, they seem to have been behind him, as he performed progressively worse in Indianapolis. Theoretically, it could be that Gay just hadn't recovered full from his injuries, and that he could return to his previous form, but that's one huge gamble to take.
After all, in 2024, he had just a 50% success rate on attempts of 50 yards or longer (11 of 22). But then, the Colts now how it feels to be desperate for a franchise kicker - they haven't had one since losing Adam Vinatieri. Hopefully, Spencer Shrader will represent an upgrade for Indianapolis, because as of now, it doesn't seem likely that they'll be missing Matt Gay much in the meantime.