Green Bay packers Drops Anders Carlson
The Green Bay Packers meant business.
Less than 96 hours after their season ended — in part because of a critical miss by inconsistent rookie kicker Anders Carlson — the Packers signed former Georgia standout Jack Podlesny.Podlesny (6-0, 195) was a three-year starter for the Bulldogs who made 61 of 74 field goals (82.4%) and 182 of 184 extra points (98.9%). He went just 3-of-8 (37.5%), though, on field goals beyond 40 yards in 2022.Podlesny made both of his field goal attempts in the 2022 National Championship win over Alabama, though, giving the Bulldogs their first national championship in 41 years.
Podlesny also capped off his first season as a Georgia kicker with perhaps his most iconic make. With Georgia trailing Cincinnati, 21-19, with 3 seconds left, Podlesny nailed a 53-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a win in the 2021 Peach BowlIt is a luxury to have him,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said before last year’s draft. “He’s been Mr. Consistency since he’s been here, and he’s mentally wired the right way and does a tremendous job for our program.”
Podlesny originally signed as an undrafted rookie with the Minnesota Vikings in May, 2023, and was released during training camp.
Podlesny earned first-team All-SEC honors from the coaches and The Associated Press in 2022 after connecting on 26 of 31 field goal attempts and 73 of 74 extra points.Carlson missed more extra points (six) and total kicks (13) than anyone in football in 2023. He also missed at least one kick in his final five games and 10 of his last 12 contests.
Carlson finished his first season 29-of-36 on field goals (80.6%) and 41-of-47 on extra points (87.2%).
Carlson had a chance to give Green Bay a 24-17 lead over San Francisco in the divisional playoffs, but missed a 41-yard field goal with just more than 5 minutes left. The 49ers then drove and won the game, 24-21.
FOX sideline reporter Tom Rinaldi reported during last week’s divisional playoffs that Packers coach Matt LaFleur told him, “When (Carlson) goes out there, I just pray.” On Monday, LaFleur said he made that comment “in jest.”
Either way, the head coach should never have to rely on faith to win a football game.
“I think a lot of young kickers in this league go through some growing pains, and unfortunately, it will get magnified because of the magnitude of this game,” LaFleur said of Carlson after the Packers lost to San Francisco in the divisional playoffs. “But you’ve got to be tough-minded. You’ve got to be resilient, and you’ve got to be willing to work and find ways to get better.”One way is fighting off competition — which the Packers have now provided for Carlson.
