Remember when the Packers went into this season unsure about the kicking position?

Brandon McManus has turned a huge question mark into a strength in less than a season. He easily booted a 55-yard field goal into the cold Green Bay night as the Packers destroyed the Saints 34-0. 

But it has been a long road to get through the field goal posts. 

First it was Anders Carlson, a sixth round draft pick. Drafting a kicker is about as common as seeing the rare pink elephant. In his 2023 rookie campaign, Carlson was 27-for-33 at kicking field goals and 34 of 39 at extra points. The seeds of doubt were planted when Carlson missed a 41-yard goal in the NFC Divisional Round Game with the Packers ahead of the 49ers 21-17 with 6:21 to play. 

Next, the Packers brought in competition. Greg Joseph, who was a five-year veteran and was 17 of 23 from 40-49 yards in three years at Minnesota, was brought into training camp. 

Carlson and Joseph competed, but the Packers decided to go with Brayden Narveson off waivers from Tennessee on Aug. 29. But that didn’t go well either. In six games, Narveson missed five field goals — including a devastating 5-for-9 from 40-49 yards. 

Finally, on Oct. 16, the Narveson experiment was over. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst brought in Brandon McManus, who was a surprising 11-for-13 from 40-49 yards at Jacksonville in 2023. The 33-year-old McManus also dealt with a sexual assault lawsuit, which has since been resolved. 

“I thought it was important that if we had an opportunity to get a veteran kicker who’d been through some of these fires and some of this pressure that our team is going to go through over the next few weeks, I thought it was important that we acquire one,” said Gutekunst in October. “And really, Brandon was the only one that was out there.”

McManus is having a great season in Green Bay. He has missed only one field goal, going 16-for-17. His only miss came in Week 9 vs. Detroit in which his 46-yarder sailed wide left. 

But even that miss cannot hold back his love for this franchise and the culture that he stepped into.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it here,” McManus said. “This place is so nostalgic. I’ve really enjoyed being here and being a part of this tradition here and it’s been great.”

And why wouldn't he enjoy it? In his Packers debut, McManus kicked a game-winning 45-yard field goal as time expired vs. the Texans. That's something you normally see on Disney. 

With an 11-4 record, the Packers have clinched a playoff spot. The checklist for winning in the postseason doesn’t usually include a kicker, but when you have a guy that is nearly automatic from just about anywhere, he can be described as a weapon. 

Remember, playoff games usually come down to three points or less. It is a nice feature to have a kicker that Packers coach Matt LaFleur can count on without having to bite his fingernails down to the nubs. 

It’s amazing how confident this team is now that it isn’t leaving points on the field anymore. Points are a premium in the playoffs and McManus is the guy that will split the uprights every chance he gets. 

The crowd pop after Brandon McManus’ 45 yard game-winning field goal went through the uprights.

You can tell it was a long time coming for #Packers fans to be able to cheer for their kicker.

What an atmosphere at Lambeau Field today. pic.twitter.com/d4dut3K41F

— Kyle Malzhan (@KyleMalzhan) October 20, 2024