Last season four of the Broncos’ eight regular-season victories ended with a Matt Prater field goal splitting the uprights.
On Monday, the team locked up its clutch kicker with a four-year contract, Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway announced on Twitter.
“Happy to announce we have signed kicker Matt Prater to a new four-year deal,” Elway said. “This was the final piece in setting our roster for camp, and we are thrilled Matt is going to be a Bronco for a long time. Matt has developed into one of the NFL’s elite kickers and is a big part of our team.”
Prater, whose four game-winning kicks on the last play of the game in 2011 tied for the second most in a season in NFL history, converted 19-of-25 field goals and all 30 extra point attempts last season. He led the team with 87 total points and finished first in the NFL with his 70.1 touchback percentage on kickoffs.
“It’s something I’ve been working for since I was a little kid,” Prater said. “I’m super excited and very thankful to Mr. Bowlen, Mr. Elway, and the entire organization.”
In 2011, Prater became one of just three players in league history with at least four game-winning field goals in overtime or as time expired in regulation. He earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Month honors for the final month of the season after ending games with field goals in Weeks 12-14 to become the first player to kick a walk-off field goal in three consecutive games since 1998.
His three overtime field goals tied for the most in NFL history for a single season and his overtime kicks (52 yds. at Miami and 51 yds. vs. Chicago) tie for the third and fifth-longest overtime field goals in NFL history.
“I think it will make it easier just so I can really focus on just kicking and nothing else, nothing off the field or anything like that,” he said. “I can just focus on kicking so I think that will be good for me.”
Prater earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week following his historic feat against the Bears in Week 14 when he tied his career long with a 59-yard field goal with three seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game. He then won the game with a 51-yard kick in overtime to join Mike Vanderjagt as the only two players in NFL history to kick a 50+ yard field goal with less than a minute remaining in regulation and convert a 50+ game-winning field goal in the extra session.
“Matt is a guy who’s been with a couple different teams and found his niche here,” Special Teams Coordinator Jeff Rodgers said. “He’s done a good job. If you had to say what can he hang his hat on, the two things he does the best are his leg strength and his ability to make kicks last year when we needed him. That’s a good feeling going forward. Any time you get a guy who you trust, you certainly want to have that continue. Finding out that you have a kicker you can count on certainly is something you want to have year in and year out.”
The fifth-year kicker has made 91-of-116 field goals (78.4 pct.) in his career along with 130-of-132 PAT attempts for 403 total points. He ranks second in the league with 114 touchbacks on kickoffs since 2008, his first full season in the NFL.
Prater is looking forward to returning to work with long snapper Lonie Paxton and holder Britton Colquitt. He said he’s kept in touch with them throughout the process but has missed being able to spend time with them.
“Those guys are the best in the business,” Prater said. “I love working with those guys and I actually missed just being here and hanging out with those guys. I’m excited to get back and working with them.”
With a long-term contract inked, Prater is ready to focus on the upcoming season with no distractions about the future.
“I can’t even put into words how I feel right now – how excited and thankful I am,” Prater said. “We have a great group of guys from top to bottom from the head coach down so it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
-Stuart Zaas
Tags: Matt Prater
Bud and FTR, you might like this: http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/09000d5d8281d2b9?module=HP11_photo_gallery#photo=1
Well BLB screw you!! LOL Bon Rules!! Catch you next Friday!! Wife is bitching and after 30 years I am trained to listen.
Peace Out!
ILMSDB
GO NECK
FTR
Yes, but D12 is only secure for one season cuz he keeps going on and on about how he won’t sign an extension with anybody besides the Nets.
FTR at least you lasted 30 years. I am already trained and were not even married yet lol
FTR…
FTR….later dude….but BJ still rules…screw you dude!..lol.
ab,you done messed up bro,I been hitched for 17 years,and I will never be trained,when you’re trained it’s over man!!!!!
LOL BLB I didnt even realize I was until the NBA championships this year. I was watching a game and she asked me to drive to get her something to eat and without question I got up and left and got her something to eat.
A man is a man forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BLB
Bronco Bro make sure your still here next Friday! You know what I mean!!
FTR Out
No prob ab,it happens dude a man goes wild over that stuff,if you know what I mean,but don’t give it all up dude,a man has to keep some dignity,LMAO!
LOL! That’s nuts, AB. My man is gonna have to pull me away from the games… honest. I’d never ask any man to go get me something during a game, let alone a Championship!!!
LOL BLB!!!! It was a Basketball championship. It has yet to be determined if it would happen during the SB or any Denver game.
FTR…I’ll be here my Bronco Bro,we can’t agree on everything!
Talk atcha later Bronco Buddy!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LMAO@tlc and ab!!!!!!!!!!
WWWWWWWHHHHHHHOOOOOOOAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AB!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s true. That’s probably why I need mental help. It’s not normal for a girl.
LOL Cat!!!!
My Fiancee is seriously worried that she will go into labor during a Denver game and is afraid I wont take her to the hospital right away. When she told me this I responded well hope it doesnt happen during a Denver game!
(I was just joking with her and she knows that before someone freaks on me about that! I would take her right away and catch the Denver game another time)
Bud you’d like this: https://twitter.com/WoodDro52/status/221453905421275137
LMAO@TLC
LOL! AB, I know you’d take her!! That’s hilarious. At least you can probably get the game on your phone or something!!!
PFM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
j/k
She ain’t due in Feb. is she?
Woodyard is PUMPED man… That is awesome. They must be feelin’ the hate.
Cat while at the hospital for that I wouldnt I would wait till after my babies are born to see what happened with the Denver game.
I’d be at the freaking hospital a hold of a damn clicker,lol.
Lol Cat Late November/early December.
Good guy… I’m just giving you a hard time. I know where you’re hearts at. I would much rather meet my baby than watch a Bronco game, if that were to ever happen. I hope you all don’t think there’s something wrong with that!
tlc,the whole Defense is pumped,I look forward to a revamped Defense the like we never seen since we won the SB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I am freaking STOKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JDR,WILL PUMP US UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I KNOW! But he SAID that. On like social media. I hope they put it on NFL.com. That gets me more pumped than I was before. Dang!!! LOL! GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WWWWWWWHHHHHOOOAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RIIIIIIIIIIIIGHHHHHHHHHHHTTTTTTTT???????????
Well, AB, I hope she has the babies on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday. I will be prayin’ for that!
Bud, I’m headed to bed. Don’t stay on too long
I can’t help it…goodnight tlc!!!!!!!!
Only like 12:30 am here,too early to go to bed!!!!!!!!
Well I guess if nobody wants to blog it’s f’n bedtime for everybody but me,I’ll get plastered on my own…GOODNIGHT BRONCOS COUNTRY!!!!!!!
I’ll be up till 4………man I miss the real Friday Night Live Nights!!!!!!!!!!!
Strand…….you are missed my bro!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am sitting here watching OZZY live at Budikon,and if you don’t think Zack Wylde is in the top 5 guitar players of all time,you don’t know Rock-n-Roll………enough said!!!!!!!!!!!
FTR…you are my bro,but to compare AC/DC to OLD NAZ is a slap in the face to every AC/DC fan in the world dude…I consider you as one of my very best bros,but am at a loss for words…I guess you have your opinion and I have mine!!!!
I guess some fans are better off sticking to Bronco Bros rather than Rock-n-Roll bros!!!!!!!!!
Strand………you need to come back!!!!!!!!!!
B.F.E. OUT!!!!!!!!!!
12:00 am here……Friday Nights just ain’t the same anymore…….strand??????
http://www.dailycommercial.com/Sports/HighSchool/070712Trevathan
This is a fantastic article. Just great!
Great article Cat, Thanks for sharing.
Great article Cat! Does this mean that the title of DT is officially up for grabs?? Lol. In other news, I just saw that the ESPY’s are sponsored by Jockey…. Hmmmmmm, I wonder if that will sway the “voters” for a certain individual…
Hey dude! DMT is being honored for that too and it better win! I voted for it and the other moments just did not compare! Yeah, I love that article because JE is so involved and of course PM is always so willing to help
I admit. I am biased because I’m a Broncos fan. Perhaps other moments were just as cool (I don’t think so). I want to see them accept the award together… I doubt they’ve talked since DMT came out and said what he said about Timmy. LOL
If you haven’t voted for the Espy’s I think it ends the 11th:
http://espn.go.com/espys/voting?vote=8083189&lang=en&showInstruction=y
Funny Peyton Manning videos:
http://espn.go.com/video/category?id=8008656