Colts kicker Matt Gay named ‘AFC Special Teams Player of the Week’ for Week 3 heroics

To the surprise of no one, Indianapolis Colts kicker Matt Gay was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his Week 3 heroics on the road against the Baltimore Ravens:

Not only did Gay make the game-winning kick in overtime from 53 yards out, but he also made four out of four field goals from 50+ yards out, which is an NFL all-time record.

Gay silenced any critics who questioned the Colts free agency decision to make him the highest paid kicker in NFL history this past offseason in very convincing fashion.

Having been scooped off the Colts practice squad in 2020, Gay went on to become a Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champion for the Los Angeles Rams over the past three seasons for one of the league’s best offenses (*ignoring last year).

The Colts, realizing the importance of an elite kicking game, which can be the difference in winning at least a few games each season, brought him back on a lucrative contract—after shuffling through kicking options during Gay’s highly productive tenure in Los Angeles.

In tough weather conditions, it was somewhat reminiscent of when legendary and longtime Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri went five for five from field goal range in Indianapolis’ 2006 divisional round win at Baltimore—only the collective distance of Gay’s field goals were tougher (*although to be fair, the stakes weren’t nearly as high as a playoff game).

Gay is the first Colt to accomplish such a feat this season, and the last Colt to achieve such a weekly honor was former kicker Chase McLaughlin during Week 5 of the 2022 campaign.