NO PRESSURE SAM!
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NFL PLAYERS take great pride braving the elements to play a savage sport. Powering through lessthan-ideal weather conditions is a way of life… unless, of course, you’re a kicker. Chandler Catanzaro chose not to resign with the Jets in free agency this offseason because he didn’t want to play in the cold, according to sources.
The kickers-are-football-players-too crowd is cringing everywhere.
Catanzaro, who kicked his entire life in warm weather climates in South Carolina and Arizona, evidently couldn’t handle winter in the northeast.
New Yorkers typically wait until they’re collecting Social Security before moving to Florida. The 27-year-old Catanzaro got a head start by signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Nobody should begrudge Catanzaro for signing a 3-year, $9.75 million deal with the Bucs, because his $3.75 million guaranteed is a lot of loot. But my understanding is that the veteran was looking for any opportunity to avoid playing in the cold.
Perhaps the Jets should have beefed up their offer to include a Gor-Tex coat from the Costanza Collection.
Catanzaro was born and raised in South Carolina before kicking at Clemson. He spent his first three NFL seasons with the Cardinals. In other words, he basically kicked in idyllic conditions for most of his life.
Maybe The Cat Man should be renamed The Bubble Boy. (Let’s see if he knows who invaded Spain in the eighth century).
Catanzaro’s aversion to inclement conditions is a bit surprising given his solid performance in his only season with the Jets. He made 83.3 percent (25 of 30) of his field goals, which was slightly worse than his three-year average (84.8 percent) with the Cardinals. He also was a perfect 29-for-29 on PATs.
Catanzaro’s 45 touchbacks and 66.2 percent touchback percentage were the best for any Jets kicker in 26 years. He also nailed a franchise-record 57-yard field goal… in Cleveland.
Catanzaro did, however, miss a pair of field goals in the rain that cost the Jets in a five-point loss to the Falcons at MetLife Stadium. He was solid with Gang Green for the most part.
The Jets don’t play in a dome, so the weather isn’t always going to be perfect. Yes, it’s sometimes windy inside MetLife Stadium, but it pales in comparison to the swirling gusts at the old Giants Stadium.
The Jets signed Taylor Bertolet Monday to compete with veterans Cairo Santos and Nick Rose for their kicking vacancy.
Catanzaro, of course, had the freedom of choice as a free agent. But is it fair to conclude that he’s soft?
Well, football players aren’t scared of the cold.