The Green Bay Packers fell in the Divisional Round of the playoffs to a late-game comeback by the San Francisco 49ers. One of the reasons was a missed field goal in the final minutes of the game.
During the game it was reported that Packers head coach Matt LaFleur lacked faith in his kicker. However, he’s now saying that isn’t true, so what’s the situation?
Matt LaFleur and the Packers’ Kicking Situation
During the Packers vs. 49ers game, FOX Sports sideline reporter Tom Rinaldi reported that LaFleur had told him, “Every time he [Anders Carlson] goes out there, I just pray.”
Anders Carlson, the brother of Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson, is in his first year as the Packers’ kicker and has had his fair share of struggles. Anders finished the regular season with an 81.8% field-goal percentage, which is just 29th in the NFL. He also made just 87.2% of his extra points, good for 33rd in the league.
On top of his low percentages, Carlson has a season-long of 53 yards, which is tied for 29th in the league.
Carlson spent five seasons at the Auburn University, where he started every season. He finished his college career with a 71.8% field-goal percentage, making 79 of his 110 attempted field goals. He also added a 98.3% extra-point percentage, missing just three his entire career.
Carlson was taken in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft with the 207th overall pick. He was first-team All-SEC and second-team All-American in 2020, when he made 20 of his 22 field-goal attempts and 24 of his 25 extra-point tries.
On Monday after the game, LaFleur said that the FOX broadcast relaying what he said was “extremely disappointing.” He said he was saying it in jest, and it was portrayed the wrong way. “I’ve never had an experience like that. It is what it is,” said LaFleur.
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Rinaldi has been with FOX Sports since late 2020 after leaving ESPN, where he’d been since 2003. With FOX, he covers major sporting events, including the Super Bowl, World Series, World Cup, and major college football games.
Despite his struggles, Carlson is still under contract until 2026, as he signed a four-year, $3.9 million rookie contract. His contract is fully guaranteed, leaving him as an unrestricted free agent in 2027, when he will be 29 years old.
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