INDIANAPOLIS —It might as well be known as the "Adam Vinatieri Award."
For the 17th time in his illustrious career, Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri today was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after his stellar performance on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.
Not only did Vinatieri connect on all four of his field goal attempts against the 49ers — and not only were two of those kicks from 50-plus yards — but Vinatieri hit the game-winning, 51-yard field goal in overtime to send the Lucas Oil Stadium crowd home happy with a 26-23 Colts victory.
Vinatieri said the feeling of kicking game winners — he converted his 10th career game-winning kick in overtime alone on Sunday, an NFL record — never gets old.
"No, they're always fun," Vinatieri said. "Every one of them is a little different in their own way. I'm not against 22-yard game winners either. I'll take them any way I can get them."
In all, Vinatieri connected on field goals of 52, 23, 38 and 51 yards, as well as two extra points, to give him 14 points against the 49ers. With seemingly each kick he converts, Vinatieri seems to move up on some sort of all-time NFL list. On Sunday, Vinatieri:
• Tied Jason Hanson (327) for the fifth most regular season games played in NFL history.
• Converted his 27th career-game winning kick, which moved him into second place all-time in NFL history in field goals made with 539.
• Tied George Blanda (639) for the third most kicking attempts in NFL history.
• Became the third player in NFL history to accumulate 2,400-plus career points.
• Converted two field goals of 50-plus yards in a single game for the third time in his career (2013 at San Diego and 2016 vs. Chicago).
