Former New Orleans Saints kicker Garrett Hartley remains a fan-favorite for his efforts in 2009, booting the field goal that sent the Saints to Super Bowl XLIV over the Minnesota Vikings. He last kicked in the NFL in 2014 with the Cleveland Browns, nailing all three of his field goal attempts and both of his extra-point kicks in two games. Now 33, he spends more time in his turkey blind than on the football field.
But he’s willing to give the NFL another shot, with the right team in the right situation. Hartley sent condolences for his friend Stephen Gostkowski from his official Twitter account; the longtime New England Patriots kicker landed on injured reserve with season-ending hip surgery this week, and Hartley would love nothing more than to fill in for him. If Patriots coach Bill Belichick and his team are interested, of course.
New England’s immediate replacement for Gostkowski is Mike Nugent, a veteran kicker who has taken the field for seven different teams in his 16-year career, predominately with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2010 to 2016. The Patriots also added former Los Angeles Chargers kicker and South Korean social media sensation Younghoe Koo to their practice squad as an added insurance policy. Hartley may not be on their radar right now, but stranger things have happened.
