Washington Commanders move on from struggling kicker Matt Gay
The Washington Commanders have finally made a change at kicker. After struggling in Sunday’s 16-13 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins, the Commanders released kicker Matt Gay on Monday.
Gay missed kicks of 51 and 56 yards against the Dolphins. The 56-yarder would have won the game and avoided overtime. Gay pushed both kicks to the right, which has been a regular occurrence for him this season. For the year, Gay made 13 of 19 field goals, with a long of 56 yards. He made all 22 of his point-after attempts.
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The Commanders signed Gay, 31, in March to a one-year deal worth a fully guaranteed $4.25 million, with the potential to earn more through incentives. It was the most guaranteed money ever for a kicker on a one-year deal. A former Pro Bowler in 2021 with the Rams, spent the last two seasons with the Colts before he was released in the offseason.
Overall, Gay made only 68% of his kicks for the Commanders.
Head coach Dan Quinn said he and GM Adam Peters met with Gay on Monday morning and that it was a tough decision. No corresponding move was made. The Commanders are on a bye this week, so a decision doesn’t need to be immediate. Washington will likely host tryouts.
The Commanders went through several kickers in 2024 and hoped Gay would provide some stability.
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This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Released kicker Matt Gay