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The Washington Commanders were the surprise of the NFL season in 2024. It was not only because they turned it around from the second-worst team in the league to making the NFC Championship Game. The way that they won many of these games was also in shocking, buzzer-beater fashion. Today, the Commanders have changed kickers, which could be a more critical position for this team than many others.
Washington Commanders Improve Ability To Win Close Games
The Washington Commanders have signed K Matt Gay to a 1 year, $4.25 million contract. This contract is historic in terms of a kicker. Not only is the contract fully guaranteed but it is the most guaranteed money by year made by a kicker in NFL history. Gay was 31-of-37 on field goal attempts last season and perfect from under 50 yards.
Commanders To Release Kicker Zane Gonzalez
The Washington Commanders have also parted ways with K Zane Gonzalez today. Last season Gonzalez was very good for the Commanders when available but missed 15 games last season due to injury. He had a 71% field goal percentage despite making some clutch kicks. Gonzalez nailed the winning kick in the Commanders shocking 23-20 playoff win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January.
Will Gay Be An Improvement
Gay was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2016. He is 31 years old and has an 80% career field goal percentage. I think the top reason why this change was made is his durability. In his eight seasons in the league, Gay has yet to miss a game due to injury. Injury issues tend to pile up in the case of kickers. Likely, the Commanders did not want to test their luck again.
One of the best finishes last year for the Commanders was a last-second Hail Mary attempt due to the injury issues at the kicker position for the Commanders. That situation happened to work out for them last year, but they need to make sure they have a kicker available for all 17 games this season.
More must-reads:
- Steelers receive massive Aaron Rodgers injury update ahead of Bears game
- Cowboys' Jerry Jones has made a decision about George Pickens
- The 'NFL QB rushing TD leaders' quiz
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Steelers work out two QBs amid Aaron Rodgers injury
With Aaron Rodgers dealing with a left wrist injury, the Pittsburgh Steelers worked out veteran quarterbacks Jason Bean and Tanner Mordecai on Tuesday, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. The Steelers currently have three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster and zero on their practice squad. Backup Mason Rudolph, and third-stringer Will Howard will both move up a spot on the depth chart for at least a week, leaving the Steelers without a third option should either of them get injured. Bean, 26, signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Kansas in 2024. He did not make the 53-man roster, but stuck around on the practice squad for the entire season. He was waived during final roster cuts this year and did not draw practice squad interest from the Colts or any other team. Mordecai is also a 26-year-old who entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie in 2024. Mordecai finished his college career at Wisconsin and signed with the 49ers last spring. He spent the season on San Francisco’s practice squad and was repeatedly cut and re-signed during training camp as the team balanced their other roster needs. He was waived due to injury a final time during roster cuts. The Steelers did not sign Bean or Mordecai, though that could be coming in the next few days as they continue to assess Rodgers’ wrist. They could also work out other available quarterbacks later this week.
Scotland media react to Scott McTominay display vs Denmark
Scott McTominay’s reinvention since leaving Manchester United has been one of the major stories of the last 18 months in European football. The midfielder has managed, in a single season, to transform himself into the driving force of the Napoli side that went on to win Serie A and restore their status among Italy’s elite. Having swapped Old Trafford for the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in 2024, he quickly became a focal point in Antonio Conte’s system and finished his debut campaign as the league’s Most Valuable Player after steering Napoli to the title. McTominay made 36 appearances for Napoli in 2024/25, scoring 13 goals and registering four assists, comfortably the best return of his senior career, sealing a Ballon d’Or nomination. However, this season has been more challenging for the Scotland international. Opposition sides have clearly adjusted to his late runs and aerial presence, while Napoli themselves have not found the same rhythm. McTominay has still chipped in with goals, but with only a handful of strikes so far and more time spent shuttling between roles than dominating games. Unfortunately it seems the form that lit up Italy has been harder to rediscover, a trend that had also been visible with Scotland after Euro 2024. That backdrop is what made Tuesday night at Hampden so significant. With Scotland needing to beat Denmark to leapfrog them and reach the 2026 World Cup, Steve Clarke’s side arrived into a tense, almost wary atmosphere. However, Scott McTominay took matters into his own hands, opening the scoring inside three minutes. Attacking a cross from Ben Gannon-Doak, the former United midfielder adjusted his body and sent an acrobatic overhead effort skidding into the bottom corner. The finish instantly shifted the mood inside Hampden and reminded everyone why Napoli built their title-winning midfield around him. He raced towards the main stand, arms outstretched, as team-mates piled in behind him and the stadium erupted. The Herald’s reaction to the goal described it as a goal: “which will live long in the memory of everyone who was fortunate enough to witness it”. However, from there, Scotland were forced to suffer. A lengthy VAR check eventually handed Denmark a penalty, converted by Rasmus Hojlund, before the visitors went down to ten men and the game descended into chaos. Lawrence Shankland, Patrick Dorgu, Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean traded goals in a breathless finale that finally ended 4-2 to Clarke’s side. For Scotland, the result ends 28 years of waiting and confirms their place at a World Cup finals for the first time since 1998, with Clarke writing himself into national folklore. For Scott McTominay, it is another landmark in a career that, unfortunately for Manchester United fans, has accelerated since leaving Old Trafford.
Quinnen Williams calls out teammates after Cowboys debut
The Dallas Cowboys just got a glimpse of life with their new star. DT Quinnen Williams had a debut for the ages, and while the Las Vegas Raiders don't have the best offensive line by any means, it was still an encouraging sign. Per PFF, the former New York Jet finished the game with seven pressures, 1.5 sacks and a 21.4 percent pass rush win rate. However, as good as he was, he knew it was going to take much more than just him to turn the Cowboys' season around. Quinnen Williams wants everybody to do their jobs Following the win, Williams put his teammates on notice by stating that it would take a collective effort to take care of business. "I don't think one guy could change anything," Williams said, per the Cowboys' website. "I think the team itself, the guys around you, all eleven on the field, the coaching staff, in general, makes the difference. One man don't [change] nothing. This is not golf. It's not tennis. Everybody on his team has to do the job. Everybody in this organization has to do a job to the best of their ability to win games." The Cowboys added Williams to the mix to fix their perennial woes against the run. They held the Raiders to just 27 rushing yards, and while that might not be sustainable, it was certainly an encouraging sign. Brian Schottenheimer's team is now 4-5-1 for the season and can still make a late-season push for the playoffs, so long as everybody else also steps up like their new star.
Senators are the clear winner in trade with Flyers
Good news for Ottawa Senators fans, as the franchise accelerated its timeline to be competitive in the 2025-26 season following the official announcement of a trade on Monday. Ottawa and Philadelphia have swapped two defensemen. The Senators acquire Dennis Gilbert, while the Flyers receive Maxence Guenette. "We’ve acquired defenseman Maxence Guenette from Ottawa in exchange for defenseman Dennis Gilbert. We have also agreed to terms with Guenette on a one-year, two-way contract," the Flyers announced. Why Dennis Gilbert is a perfect fit for the Senators' blue line The Senators didn't just make a trade; they plugged a hole on their blue line. Gilbert, 29, can enter the lineup immediately or be the first call-up to cover injuries, back-to-backs, and PK, without a steep learning curve. The defenseman has NHL experience with 111 games in six seasons, so he's a safer bet to integrate into the lineup than a prospect who hasn't yet proven himself at the highest level. Gilbert fits seamlessly under the salary cap and allows them to move pieces on the blue line without sacrificing picks or cap space. He signed for one year with the Senators with a cap hit of $875,000. Furthermore, he will improve the baseline play of the third pair and reliably handle five-on-five and PK minutes in emergency scenarios. Ottawa traded an RFA for a player who can contribute from day one. Gilbert's physical but disciplined game fits coach Travis Green's needs. So, the Senators turned a future lottery ticket into a known commodity. Guenette, 24, needed minutes in the NHL and a clear pathway. The Senators could not offer him that and opted for more roster certainty.
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