The New England Patriots have had a revolving door of kickers in recent years. Before this uncertain stretch, the Pats had two kickers from 1996-2019, Stephen Gostkowski and Adam Vinatieri, who rank first and second in franchise points, respectively. For nearly a quarter-century, the position required no guesswork and no anxiety. But when Gostkowski left, the Patriots entered an era of instability on special teams.
For the last three seasons, the Patriots have rotated through a different kicker each year. In 2024, it was Joey Slye who converted 26 of his 33 attempts for a 78.8% clip. And in 2023, it was Chad Ryland who converted 16 of his 25 attempts for 64.0%. Between the inconsistency and the lack of a trusted long-term answer, kicker had quietly become one of New England’s most pressing — yet least discussed — personnel problems.
Enter Andy Borregales, who, coming out of Miami, was known for his ability to stay cool under pressure, something the Patriots desperately needed. Fast forward to Week 13, and it seems like there's finally some long-term stability at New England's kicker position for years to come.
Andy Borregales Has Solved Patriots' Kicker Woes
After becoming the full-time starter at kicker, Borregales has converted 19-of-21 field-goal (90.5%) attempts, with his two misses coming in Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders and Week 11 against the New York Jets. He's only missed a pair of extra-point tries as well, having gone 33-of-35 (94.3%) as of Week 13.
Beyond his raw numbers, Borregales' ability to hit from distance, connect in cold weather, and deliver late in games has stood out. All of these traits are a must for kicking in New England winters.
After his costly miss against the Jets, Borregales was perfect against the Cincinnati Bengals, splitting the uprights on all four field goals and converting both extra points. It wasn’t just a strong performance; it was a statement. Borregales proved he wasn’t just another rookie and responded like a seasoned veteran. On Wednesday, he was recognized for his stellar 14-point performance by earning AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
Finding an NFL starter in the sixth round is a difficult task for a team’s front office. The margin for error is small, and most Day 3 specialists never become full-time NFL contributors. In the past, though, the Patriots have had some success, drafting Tom Brady with the 199th pick in the 2000 draft.
Although Andy Borregales may not reach the same level of success as New England's G.O.A.T., through 12 weeks, he has lived up to the billing as one of the NFL’s best rookie kickers. More importantly, he has quickly become one of the most dependable players on the entire roster.
Thanks in part to Borregales’s stellar performance this season, the New England Patriots sit at 10-2 and have the NFL’s best record as of Thursday. And as injuries and uncertainty have popped up across the roster, one thing is finally clear: for the first time in years, the Patriots have a true long-term kicker — Andy Borregales.