Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski refused to acknowledge last year’s problems with slick Super Bowl logo in Minnesota. Photo by Al Thompson

ATLANTA: NFL games are often decided by one of smallest guys on the roster, the field goal kicker. Every week, every year how many times do we see the offense march down the field to strategically put themselves in position to kick a game-winning or game-tying field goal.

At the NFL level kickers are expected to make any boot from 48-yards out. Anything over 50 is icing on the cake.

Last year at the Super Bowl in Minneapolis, when the Philadelphia Eagles rookie kicker Jake Elliott and New England Patriots veteran Stephen Gostkowski both had issues kicking, both had voiced concerns that the NFL Super Bowl logos painted on the field were slick and made it tough to get traction while kicking. The logos are there for the NFL to put its signature on the game that is viewed by over 110 million people.

Both kickers suffered misses during the game. Any missed kick in any NFL game can have a huge impact on the outcome. The Eagles won their first ever Super Bowl with a 41-33 victory at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Gostkowski’s missed kicks (field goal and extra point) were not the reason the Patriots lost. Elliott missed an extra point early in the game.

At first, during Thursday’s media session, Gostkowski told Footballstories the logos were no excuse for missing a kick.

“The logo’s the logo,” Gostkowski said. “I don’t make any excuses for kicks I miss so, whatever the conditions are on the field, whether you play outside or in, grass or paint on the field, you’ve just got to deal with it. It is what it is, you just out there and do the best that you can. It’s nothing new compared to playing in any stadium. Every stadium has its little thing.

Gostkowski then started to warm up to the subject and started to admit, yes, it may have been a problem, but it is his job to handle it.

“News flash…there’s giant Super Bowl trophies they paint on the field,” Gostkowski said. “You know going into it. It’s not something I would ever use as an excuse.”

Gostkowski said it is his job and the job of kickers to solve problems like logos and other field conditions during warmups.

“You know, they did paint logos on the field,” Gostkowski said. “It’s just one of those things during warmups you get a feel for. If it affects you during the warmups, then you might try and make an adjustment. It’s not something I think about too much.”

Gostkowski is almost assured a place in the NFL Hall of Fame. Currently he’s the Patriots’ all-time leader with 1,701 career points and 359 field goals. He entered 2018 in 18th place on the NFL’s all-time scoring list.

Gostkowski has hit 359-of-410 career field goal attempts, and his 87.6 percent accuracy rate is the highest in Patriots history and is tied for third-best in NFL history.

The 35-year old has been selected to the Pro Bowl four times (2008, 13-15), named Associated Press All-Pro First Team in 2008 and 2015 and AP All-Pro Second Team in 2014. Currently the Patriots’ all-time leader with 1,701 career points and 359 field goals. Enters 2018 in 18th place on the NFL’s all-time scoring list.
Gostkowski enters today’s Super Bowl as a two-time champion (XLIX, LI), he also has won a total of five AFC Championships.

So, when Gostkowski speaks, people listen. He said the logo problem is no different that other conditions he and all other kickers face during the course of a season.

“It’s like to go to play on a grass field and it gets chewed up,” Gostkowski said. “You don’t get to choose where the ball is when you are about to kick it. You’ve just got to deal with it and do the best that you can when you get your opportunity.”

Has he made a trip to Mercedes Benz Stadium to check out the turf…and any logos?

“We got to go over there and practice the other day,” Gostkowski said. “The field seems great…beautiful turf, beautiful stadium…and excited for the chance.”
“The logos are there,” Gostkowski continued. “Super Bowls are not played with the logos on the field. It is what it is. They’ve got to promote the game, and I get it,
I don’t think too much about it. You know going into it. Every person who watches the Super Bowl knows there are giant logos in the middle of the field. You adjust accordingly, try to have a good game plan, and if you want to do anything different, if the field’s any different, you deal with it.” *

Follow Al Thompson on Twitter @thompsoniii