Former Atlanta Falcons kicker Matt Bryant deserves a gold jacket

NFL kickers don’t often make the Hall of Fame but former Atlanta Falcon Matt Bryant deserves a gold jacket.

In fact, the Atlanta Falcons already have one former kicker in Canton with Morten Andersen and Bryant has made a very good case to join him.

There are two main things with kickers, longevity, and accuracy. That’s what really matters. Sure a booming leg is great but if you constantly miss from long or short distances, you will find yourself out of a job faster than you can snap the ball. Matt Bryant has both and there was a while when he could’ve been Matty Ice, Jr.

Matt Ryan put the team in positions to win and Bryant was as a closer. We all remember when he helped the Falcons get their first playoff win in the Ryan era. After they blew a lead.

And very rarely did Bryant lose games for the Falcons. Except for last year’s extra point clunker against Arizona. But by that point, his time in Atlanta was coming to an end. As was his career apparently. But let’s stack him up against Andersen. One of the GOAT kickers, who also once sent Atlanta to the Super Bowl.

Matt Bryant was clutch for the Atlanta Falcons

Andersen played for an unreal 25 years. The first 21 years were for dome teams, the Falcons and the Saints. Still, over his career, he hit just about 80% of his field goals, with a career-long 60 yarder. Bryant on the other hand? He played 18 years, which isn’t anything to sniff at, has a career rate of about 86% on field goals and his career-long is 62 yards.

Not to mention, hitting that field goal was a game-winner. Albeit in a different uniform. Andersen and Bryant’s conversion rates on extra points are essentially the same. And Bryant played about five years during a time when the NFL moved the extra point attempt back to the 15-yard line. They were no longer chip shots. He still hit those like Steve Nash hit free throws.

Oh, and did we mention clutch. Bryant never missed a field goal in a playoff game as a member of the Atlanta Falcons. He went 12 for 12. When the lights are the brightest, that’s what matters. And everyone in Atlanta and Boston knows, if he had gotten a chance to kick in Super Bowl 51, you could’ve added a ring to his accomplishments.

Matt Bryant has done nothing more than put together a Hall of Fame career. He deserves to be in the Atlanta Falcons Ring of Honor, but give that man his bust and gold jacket too.