On Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe missed two of his three field goals, and they should have been made. This has been an issue all season, and while HC Kellen Moore wanted to take his time making a decision, yesterday’s performance has forced his hand.
How Blake Grupe’s Season Has Gone So Far
After having an excellent preseason/training camp, Grupe looked like he could be a top kicker this year, but instead, he has been one of the worst. He has a 69.2 field goal percentage this season, which puts him near the bottom. Fans have been calling for the HC to bring in a new kicker, but instead, the Saints stuck with Grupe. Sunday may have been the last straw.
The first FG miss from Grupe against the Falcons was from 38 yards away, and the second was a 47-yarder. With kickers making 55+ yard FGs with ease in today’s NFL, misses like this are gimmies now, and it left six potential points off the scoreboard. The second miss also turned into an opportunity for the Falcons to score a field goal before halftime, which they did.
The Saints Finally Make a Move
New Orleans seems to have had enough of Grupe and is looking for answers elsewhere. Per Nick Underhill, the Saints invited two kickers to tryouts: Justin Tucker and Cade York.
The Saints are trying out Justin Tucker and Cade York, per sources https://t.co/fDIj0FOhmw
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) November 24, 2025
Before being suspended (which I will get to), Tucker was horrible with a 73.3 FG percentage and is 38. Off the field, Tucker was suspended for 10 games from the NFL after violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. This came after heavy allegations were released from 16 massage therapists around the Baltimore area detailing sexual misconduct during sessions.
Onto the other player being tried out, York would be the correct signing. At only 24 years old, York would be a potential long-term answer if he works it out. At LSU, York was one of the best kickers in the country, but in the NFL, he has not had that same success. Still, with his age, turning his career around can happen, as seen many times before.
