The Indianapolis Colts have signed kicker Michael Badgley following Spencer Shrader's season-ending knee injury, as reported by WTHR. The team is aiming to fill the void left by Shrader, who was injured during the Colts' recent win against the Raiders. Badgley returns to the Colts for his third stint, having previously been signed as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and then rejoining the team in 2021. In his past appearances for the Colts, Badgley notched 18 of 21 field goals and made all 39 extra-point attempts across 12 games.
Shrader's injury, which occurred on a late hit during an extra point attempt, consisted of a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee and has landed him on injured reserve. Before his injury, he led the NFL with 53 points, succeeding in 13 of 14 field goals and hitting all 14 extra-point attempts. According to Reuters, the Colts acted swiftly to secure a replacement after the unfortunate incident.
Badgley, now 30, most recently played for the Detroit Lions but missed the entire 2024 season due to a torn hamstring injury. Despite this setback, his professional record boasts an 82.4 percent success rate on field goals and a 96.0 percent rate on extra points, with a career-long of 59 yards over 64 games. The details of his recent signing were first shared by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, as stated in a report by Colts Wire.
Badgley's professional experience spans multiple NFL teams including the Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears, and the Washington Commanders, besides his time with the Colts and the Lions. His career thus far reflects a consistent performance as a kicker, a resource the Colts are relying on to weather the absence of Shrader for the remainder of the season. The team and its fans are now looking forward to seeing whether Badgley can reclaim the form he demonstrated prior to his injury and help propel the Colts through the rest of an already tumultuous season.
