With Pro Bowl selection, Matt Gay proved Rams right for viewing him as long-term kicker

[theramswire.usatoday.com] With Pro Bowl selection, Matt Gay proved Rams right for viewing him as long-term kicker

Cameron DaSilva
December 24, 2021 3:30 am PT

Finding a reliable kicker can be a real challenge for NFL teams. Even the best in the league tend to hit rough patches and struggle uncharacteristically. Just look at Mason Crosby in Green Bay this season.

The Rams experienced this with Greg Zuerlein in 2019 when he made just 72.7% of his field goal attempts after hitting 91.5% in the previous two years combined. He then bolted for Dallas before the 2020 season, signing with the Cowboys as a free agent.


That left the Rams without a good option at kicker last season, forcing them to try out several different kickers – from Samuel Slowman to Kai Forbath. It wasn’t until they landed on Matt Gay that they truly replaced Zuerlein, but little did they know that he’d turn out to be better than the man they called “Legatron.”

Gay has been the only real bright spot on special teams for the Rams the last two years, and he earned some national recognition this week when he was selected to his first Pro Bowl. It was a deserving honor considering he’s made 28 of 29 field goal attempts, leading the NFL with 96.6% accuracy.

Dating back to last season, he’s made 42 of 45 field goal attempts in the regular season and was a perfect 4-for-4 on field goals in the playoffs, which works out to 93.9% accuracy in 23 total games with the Rams.

That’s incredible and no matter how highly the Rams thought of Gay, he’s certainly exceeded all expectations.

Sean McVay said back in January that Gay has been “Mr. Automatic” for the Rams – a perfect description for the powerful kicker. He also mentioned that the Rams appeared to have found “our guy for a long time, really for the future.”

“Woo. I’ll tell you what, it’s been huge. Man, he’s Mr. Automatic as of late,” McVay said in January. “I’ve been really impressed with just the continuity between he, Johnny (Hekker) and Jake (McQuaide). I think that’s something that you don’t take for granted. He’s done a great job and it looks like we found our guy for a long time, really for the future.”

McVay wasn’t wrong about that, either.

Gay will be a free agent in March but there’s no way the Rams should let him hit the market. He’s only 27 years old, has come up huge for the Rams each week and has as strong a leg as anyone in the league. His 55-yarder on Tuesday against the Cardinals probably would’ve been good from about 65.

He’s done nothing but prove the Rams right for trusting him as their best option at kicker, and he should earn a long-term extension from the team for the job he’s done the season and a half.