Oct 20, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; A detailed view of Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson's (18) helmet before the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Spend just a little time around a batch of Minnesota Vikings fans or a branch of purple social media, and you will hear something to the effect of “Vikings fans can’t have nice things.”
That mantra was re-confirmed on Tuesday when rookie kicker Will Reichard hit the shelf for at least four games. The specialist joined Injured Reserve because of a quad injury, and that’s a wrap for Reichard in the month of November.
The Vikings also lost long snapper Andrew DePaola on Sunday, and the team tweeted Tuesday, “The Vikings have placed LS Andrew DePaola and K Will Reichard on IR.”
Not long ago, Minnesota hosted a faux kicking battle featuring Reichard and fellow young kicker John Parker Romo. Reichard handily won the competition.
But Romo is back. The Vikings signed Romo soon after Reichard visited injured reserve, and he’s tentatively on deck for kick for the team in the next four games.
Reichard had fully blossomed in Minnesota, a product of the 2024 NFL Draft. Before Sunday Night Football, when Minnesota downed Indianapolis, Reichard had hit all field goals and extra points. He missed two, however, against the Colts, probably because of the quad malady.
For years — decades, even — Vikings fans have lived with kicker-related dread, dating back to the 1998 NFC Championship. Outside of a stretch with kicker Ryan Longwell 15 years ago, snakebitten tendencies have accompanied Vikings football, and that’s just the way it is.
For two months, Reichard changed that. He inspired confidence and dependability.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said about Reichard on Sunday night, “You’d love to have him continue on the fabulous trajectory he’s been on really since he arrived here. These things come up. We’ll go through the process here of making sure we put together the best plan to make sure we have him full and doing what he’s doing all season long really up until last night.”
Back in April, some purple onlookers were initially confused by the Reichard draft selection. A handful of football fans don’t believe in investing draft capital in kickers, considering them “non-premium” players. But Minnesota disagreed and used a 6th-Round pick on Reichard. Few have complained since about the pick.
The Vikings next travel to Jacksonville for a date with the Jaguars and are favored by four points to prevail on Sunday. Minnesota is classified as the NFL’s fourth-best team through nine weeks per DVOA, only outpaced by the Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, and Kansas City Chiefs.
Reichard will turn 24 in January.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.