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Vinatieri Signs One-Year Deal With Colts; PK Will Play A 23rd Season
The Colts have made it official with Adam Vinatieri.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that the team and its veteran kicker reached agreement on a one-year deal, according to a source informed of the situation. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Vinatieri’s one-year deal with the Colts is worth $3.625 million -- $1 million to sign and a $2.625 million in base salary.
As NFL.com noted, Vinatieri's return comes as little surprise. He told reporters late last season that he planned to advance into his 23rd NFL campaign.
Playing in 2018 gives the 45-year-old kicker a chance to break the NFL's all-time scoring record, a mark currently held by Hall of Famer Morten Andersen (2,544 points).
In addition, Vinatieri has kicked 808 extra points, which means he’s almost certain to pass Gary Anderson (820) for third-place all time this season. He has a chance of passing Andersen (849) for second place, but George Blanda’s record (943) is out of reach for at least three more years.
Beyond that, Vinatieri sits second on the list with 2,487 points.
As Profootballtalk.com noted, Vinatieri also has by far the most postseason field goals in NFL history, with 56 (30 with the Colts and 26 with the Patriots). He can keep adding to that total if the Colts are in the playoffs this year, although he’s so far ahead of everyone else in NFL history that the record will be his for many years regardless of whether he ever kicks another playoff field goal.
If anyone is ever going to break Vinatieri’s record it’s probably his successor as Patriots kicker, Stephen Gostkowski, who has 34 postseason field goals.
This past season, Vinatieri pegged 29 of his 34 field goal attempts for Indy. His 85.3 percent success rate marked his lowest since 2012, but Vinatieri also hit on five of six kicks from 50-plus yards.
As NFL.com put it, "This was a no-brainer for the Colts."
For the record, Vinatieri will turn 46 in December, and at that point he’ll be just the fourth player ever to play at that age, joining Blanda, Andersen and John Carney.