Saints rookie kicker stopped by security even after hitting game-winner
New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe had a tough time getting on the field before Sunday's preseason game against the Kanas City Chiefs because he didn't have "credentials."
Even after the rookie drilled the game-winning 31-yard field goal in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter to give the Saints a 26-24 victory, he was stopped again and was mistaken for a fan.
Following four seasons at Arkansas State from 2018-2021 and one year at Notre Dame in 2022, Grupe went undrafted in the spring but signed with New Orleans at the end of April. Grupe is currently projected as the team's backup kicker behind 29-year-old one-time Pro Bowler Wil Lutz, who's been with the Saints since 2016.
Lutz booted through both of the victor's extra point attempts during the contest (in the first quarter), as well as a 36-yard field goal in the second stanza, before giving way to the youngster to play hero at the end of the contest.
Grupe had a terrific college career, leading the Sun Belt Conference in field goal percentage (86.4%) in 2019 and pacing all kickers in the Independent Conference in points (91), extra points made (49) and field goals made (14) in 2022. Grupe is also first in Sun Belt Conference history in field goals made (64) and attempted (86), while ranking second in points (354) and extra points made (162).
There may be no other sport where one person's body type can change so drastically from one position to the next than in football, where a massive tight end or defensive lineman can look especially gigantic next to a kicker. That's certainly the case with Grupe (who's listed at 5-foot-7, 156 lbs), so perhaps security can get a pass for this mistake.
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