Bill Belichick pumps the brakes on potential kicker controversy
It was hard to imagine a better start to Quinn Nordin’s Patriots career than what the 22-year-old kicker and ex-LinkedIn lurker put forth through his first three kicks of Thursday’s preseason opener against the Washington Football Team.
Quinn Nordin can KICK. This is a Big Ten tweet. pic.twitter.com/f9f6wQWeRL
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) August 13, 2021
Summoned on the field for three kicks, Nordin went a perfect 3-for-3, and without much of a doubt on any of the kicks, which came from 35, 50, and 40 yards. But then came a missed extra point, which was more than enough for Patriots head coach Bill Belichick to pump the brakes on any early talk of Nordin bumping the incumbent Nick Folk out of a gig in 2021.
“We’ll take a look at it,” Belichick said of Nordin’s performance. “Hit a couple good ones, missed an extra point. It’s all about consistency. Quinn has gotten better. He’s worked hard. But again, it’s really about consistency at that position. We’re getting there. We’ll see what kind of progress he continues to make.”
It is worth mentioning that Nordin did convert on his next extra-point try after the miss, and that it was the first blemish of Nordin’s in-Gillette work, with Doesn’t look like Nick Folk will play tonight, so it’ll be the Quinn Nordin show on field goals and extra points.
Nordin was 14-for-14 on uncontested FGs across the Patriots’ two in-stadium practices. Big opportunity for the Pats’ lone UDFA. pic.twitter.com/b09I5hVyJp
But this demand for consistency in line with what Belichick has said about Nordin all camp long, with the coach outright admitting that Nordin still has ‘a long way to go’ when asked about his progress earlier this week. It’s also what the ex-Michigan standout has to bring to the table if he’s going to bump the veteran Folk out of a gig following a 2020 season that came with a career-high 92.9 percent success rate and zero misses after Week 2 (26 straight made field goals).
The 36-year-old Folk, for what it’s worth, was given Thursday off completely, which should also speak to how the Patriots are viewing his status as the team’s No. 1 kicker entering the 2021 season.
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Ty Anderson is a writer and columnist for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Yell at him on Twitter: @_TyAnderson.
