When the Miami Dolphins signed veteran punter Thomas Morstead this offseason, there were some who believed that his impact as a holder could really help kicker Jason Sanders, who had struggled the year prior.
In 2021, Sanders, who had just signed a five-year extension to make him one of the highest-paid kickers in the NFL, hit just 74.2% of his field goal attempts – the lowest percentage in his career.
Through 10 games of the 2022 campaign, Sanders has hit 76.5% of his field goals, but he’s seen his extra-point accuracy drop to a career-low 90%.
The 27-year-old recently spoke with the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson, saying that he’s “just not getting the job done.”
He’s found part of the problem – “a little technical issue, but that’s not the reason why things don’t go your way.”
For a kicker, the mental aspect of the sport is just as important, if not more important, than the physical. They often get compared to starting pitchers in baseball or goalies in ice hockey because they can really determine a lot with one action.
Sanders told Jackson that he doesn’t plan to visit a sports psychologist because “it’s not really a mental thing. I’m hitting the ball well. I’ve just got to get the job done. End of story.”
Whatever the issue is it needs to be figured out quickly. The Dolphins have been able to survive the kicking woes through 10 games, but in closer and more pivotal contests, they may not be so lucky.
