Kicker Matt Gay was released by the Commanders on Monday, a day after he missed two field-goal attempts in a 16-13 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins in Spain, and a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that Washington replaced him by signing Jake Moody off the Chicago Bears' practice squad.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Commanders did not announce Moody's addition.
Washington's current six-game losing streak began with a 25-24 defeat against Chicago on Oct. 13 that ended with Moody making a 38-yard field goal for the Bears on the last play. That was Moody's first game with Chicago after the San Francisco 49ers cut him for missing two kicks in Week 1 this season.
He was a third-round draft pick by the 49ers in 2023 and played for them in a Super Bowl.
On Sunday, Gay sent a 56-yard try wide right in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter that would have broken a 13-all tie with Miami and, in all likelihood, given Washington (3-8) a much-needed victory. He also was off on a 51-yarder earlier in the game.
Coach Dan Quinn said on a video call with reporters on Monday that he and general manager Adam Peters met with Gay to deliver the news.
Peters signed Gay to a contract with $4.35 million in guaranteed money in April.
“An all-time good dude. So, yeah really, bummed that it didn’t work out. We just felt this is the change we needed,” Quinn said about Gay.
“We’re just not making those kicks; not just the ones yesterday. We want to look at the big picture of things,” Quinn said. “At that position, the performance — got to have it.”
Washington is entering its bye week and won't play again until hosting the Denver Broncos (9-2) on Nov. 30.
Gay made 13 of 19 field-goal tries this season, a 68.4% accuracy rate that was worse than all but two kickers in the NFL. The misses Sunday made Gay 4 for 9 on attempts from 50 yards or more in a league where that sort of distance is nearly automatic for many.
"You just feel like you let your team down,” Gay said Sunday about the potential game-winner. “Got to make it. Cannot miss that kick.”
Gay spent the previous two seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. Last season, he was 33 of 33 on extra points and made all 28 of his field-goal attempts from 49 yards or closer but was successful on just 3 of 9 from 50 or more yards.
Gay was a Pro Bowl pick in 2021 for the Los Angeles Rams, who won the Super Bowl that season.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
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