Blair Walsh: Vikings kicker signs contract extension on Snapchat
By Dan Zinski
You know things are getting weird when kickers are signing contract extensions on Snapchat. That’s exactly what happened today with Blair Walsh.
Jan Stenerud never thought he’d live to see this day.
ICYMI on our Snapchat story, we have signed @BlairWalsh3 to a contract extension.
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) July 26, 2015
DETAILS: http://t.co/SiB2s9XW8l pic.twitter.com/4AkjOw7HlA
The 25-year-old Walsh was entering the final year of his contract, which was set to pay him a base salary of $660,000. Terms of the new deal have not been disclosed.
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In a statement Walsh expressed his happiness about signing a new deal with the Vikings (via Vikings.com):
"“I’m extremely excited to be a part of the Minnesota Vikings moving forward. I’d like to thank Rick Spielman, the Wilf family, Coach Zimmer, Coach Priefer and Rob Brzezinski for giving me this opportunity. I’m proud to be able to stay with the team that drafted me coming out of college and I look forward to what is in store for the future of this organization.”"
A 6th round pick in 2012, Walsh made the Pro Bowl his rookie season after setting an NFL record for most field goals made of over 50 yards (8).
Though Walsh has been a solid kicker in the two years since his rookie campaign, he has not entirely lived up to the standard set in that record-breaking first year.
Walsh’s field goal percentage has declined each of the past two years, reaching 74.3% in 2014 (down from 92.1% his first year). Walsh struggled at times with the tricky wind patterns and TCF Bank Stadium last year and seemed more comfortable kicking on the road.
The good news for Walsh is that the Vikings only have to spend one more year in TCF before moving into a new climate-controlled wind-free indoor facility where no doubt his accuracy will return to 2012 levels.
The Vikings are banking on Walsh being money at US Bank.
Update: Terms of the contract have been revealed and Blair Walsh is now one of the highest-paid kickers in the NFL.
Blair Walsh signs 4-yr extension worth up to $14 million with $5.25 guaranteed. Makes him one of the top 5 highest paid kickers in the NFL
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 26, 2015
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