Matt LaFleur was miffed at Fox reporter Tom Rinaldi, who shared what the Packers coach considered a joke. In a production meeting, LaFleur told Rinaldi that he prays when Anders Carlson lines up to kick a field goal.
Despite characterizing it as something said in jest, LaFleur obviously had concerns about Carlson and rightfully so.
The rookie kicker missed at least one kick in 10 of Green Bay’s final 12 games, but Carlson was the only kicker on the active roster and practice squad from late May until the end of the season.
He missed a 41-yard field goal in the fourth quarter in the 24-21 loss to the 49ers.
General Manager Brian Gutekunst explained the team’s thought process.
“We obviously work kickers out all the time, but as we went through the course of the season, we were committed to going through the ups and downs that a lot of young rookie kickers go through,” Gutekunst said, via Matt Schneidman of TheAthletic.com. “Certainly, what we went through was not anything different than what a lot of guys go through. I think as we got towards the end of the season and we were headed towards the playoffs and had an opportunity to be in the playoffs, certainly something, if there was a veteran option out there that would have been really good, then maybe we would have considered it. But there wasn’t. He was the best option by far. We’re really excited about where he’s going.”
Carlson, a sixth-round pick, went 27-of-33 on field goals and 34-of-39 on extra points this season.
