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Will Reichard Will End the Vikings’ Kicking Curse
Sep 27, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Minnesota Vikings kicker Will Reichard (16) kicks a field goal against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Will Reichard Will End the Vikings’ Kicking Curse

Originally posted on The Lead  |  By Aric Schan  |  Last updated Nov 9, 2026 1:19 PM ET
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Kicking in the NFL can be a thankless job. Unlike the collective effort of the eleven players on offense or defense, a kicker can find himself in the spotlight for a single moment. One leg swing can change a game’s outcome. Successful kicks are forgotten in a blink. But a costly miss can become the defining moment of a player’s career.

Minnesota Vikings fans know all too well how one field goal can sway a season. Gary Anderson and Blair Walsh have become household names among the fanbase for all the wrong reasons. Their misses represent two of the most heartbreaking postseason shortcomings in franchise history.

Yet, Minnesota’s struggles at kicker extend far beyond these devastating losses. Since Anderson’s departure in 2002, the Vikings have cycled through eleven different kickers searching for consistency at one of the NFL’s most unforgiving positions.

Selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft, Will Reichard was brought in to provide stability to a position that has plagued the franchise for decades. After two seasons of incredible production and a record-setting start to 2026, could the Alabama alum finally put the Vikings’ kicking curse to rest?

The Curse Begins, Gary Anderson

In 1998, the Vikings assembled one of their best teams in franchise history. Randy Moss and Cris Carter highlighted a cast of offensive superstars en route to a record-setting 15-1 season. The unit ranked first in passing yards, second in total yards, and scored a then-NFL record 556 points.

Gary Anderson was just as remarkable. He booted all 94 of his field goal and extra point attempts in the regular season without a single miss. He became the first kicker with a perfect conversion rate on both field goals and extra points, earned a First-Team All-Pro selection, and led the NFL in scoring with 164 points.

Minnesota excelled in all three phases of the game and carried this momentum into their first NFC Championship appearance since 1988.  With an opportunity to capture the NFC title, Minnesota led the Atlanta Falcons 27-20 with just over two minutes remaining in regulation. Anderson lined up for a 38-yard field goal that would likely punch Minnesota’s ticket to the Super Bowl.

No good.

For the first time in nearly two years, Anderson missed a field goal. The Falcons capitalized, tying the game late in regulation before Falcons’ kicker Morten Andersen nailed a 38-yarder of his own in overtime, giving Atlanta a 30-27 victory.

Once again, Vikings fans were left pondering what could have been as they await their team’s first Super Bowl victory—instead, Anderson’s otherwise historic season lives in infamy for a painstaking miss.

Blair Walsh, Wide Left

Nearly two decades later, another Minnesota Kicker would suffer a similar fate. In the 2012 NFL draft, the Vikings selected Blair Walsh from the University of Georgia with a sixth-round pick. Walsh didn’t take long to find his footing in the NFL.

During his rookie season, Walsh earned a trip to the Pro Bowl, First-Team All-Pro honors, and led all kickers in field goals made. In what may be his most impressive feat, Walsh set an NFL record for consecutive field goals beyond 50 yards (10/10) in his first year as a pro. There was no reason to doubt Walsh could be the Vikings’ long-term answer at kicker.

That changed in 2015, when Teddy Bridgewater led Minnesota to an 11-5 season and a home Wild Card game. The Vikings faced the defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks in the coldest game of their franchise history. Blair Walsh had accounted for all of the Vikings’ points as they trailed Seattle 9-10 in the final seconds of the fourth quarter.

With 22 seconds remaining, Walsh lined up for a 27-yard field goal attempt that would likely tie the knot on a playoff victory and send Minnesota to the Divisional round.

Wide Left.

In the words of Vikings play-by-play announcer Paul Allen, ” He missed it! Are you kidding me? The season can’t end like that!”

A grueling playoff effort against the defending champions in freezing temperatures ended in an unimaginable way—a kicker who was once automatic from distance missed from a range shorter than an extra point. Again, Minnesota fans were heartbroken, and Walsh’s career became synonymous with a single moment.

The miss proved to be a turning point for the franchise. Walsh struggled to find the stroke that defined his dominant rookie campaign, and the Vikings released him in November 2016 following his fourth missed extra point of the year.

Will The Thrill

Minnesota spent eight years searching for a replacement, unable to find the sure thing Anderson and Walsh once proved to be, until 2024, when the Vikings invested a sixth-round pick in Will Reichard from the University of Alabama.

Vikings fans heavily criticized the move at the time. Why spend draft capital on a kicker you can sign via free agency or poach from another league like the UFL?

Well, for the Vikings, Reichard has been worth every bit of that pick and more.

Through his third season in the NFL, he has been one of the league’s most dependable kickers. Seven of his ten career misses have come from beyond 50 yards, and he is yet to miss an extra point. He followed a promising rookie campaign with a nearly perfect sophomore season full of records.

In 2025, Reichard made 33-of-35 field goals and all 31 extra-point attempts, posting the highest field-goal percentage among kickers with at least 30 attempts. A successful 62-yard field goal in week 3 stands as the longest make in franchise history. The kick was one of his four conversions over 59 yards, setting an NFL single- season record.

By year’s end, the credentials spoke for themselves. Reichard had established himself as a premier kicker. However, the strong start to 2026 has shown Reichard’s value goes beyond the numbers. The former sixth-round pick is proving to be worth more than his draft status; he is making a bid to be the team’s most valuable player.

Vikings 2026 MVP?

Despite the Vikings’ 6-1 record, the offense has been a sight for sore eyes. Through seven games, Minnesota ranks 29th in yards per game and 27th in points per game. Whether it’s been Kyler Murray or Carson Wentz at quarterback, the unit has struggled to find the end zone. The only offense that has done so less prior to Week 9 is the 0-8 Los Angeles Chargers.

Not exactly the company the Vikings want. Fortunately for them, Reichard has bailed them out time and time again. In fact, in two of Minnesota’s victories, Reichard scored every point. This included a 9-3 win over the Chicago Bears in week 2 and a 15-10 win over the Miami Dolphins in week 4. He capitalized on every opportunity, converting 8-of-8 field goals across the two games.

Amid the offensive struggles, Reichard has been single-handedly preventing their fall from grace.

Is the Curse Over?

In the Vikings’ Week 7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, Reichard made his 36th consecutive field goal, setting a franchise record and breaking the mark previously held by Gary Anderson.

Cue the panic among Vikings fans as they flash back to the ’98 season.

This time around, it played out differently. Reichard’s very next kick was a 59-yard attempt blocked by Colts Defensive Tackle Grover Stewart, thus ending the streak. Later, he missed a 57-yard field goal wide right as Minnesota suffered its first loss of the season to the Detroit Lions.

Turns out he’s not perfect.

Perhaps a welcome sight for Minnesota fans. A streak that must eventually end did so before it could make or break the season. Now, a new one begins.

The parallels between Reichard and Anderson are undeniable, but their circumstances couldn’t be more different. Anderson was the cherry on top of a Super Bowl-caliber offense. Reichard, however, is the glue narrowly holding together a broken system.

Win, lose, or tie, Reichard has already earned the fanbase’s trust, something that has eluded it for decades. He has proved he can deliver when the offense cannot, providing value beyond the box score.

This article first appeared on The Lead and was syndicated with permission.

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