The Indianapolis Colts maybe have beaten the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, but they lost an important player in the process. Kicker Spencer Shrader went down and the prognosis isn’t good; Shrader will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL/MCL.
Welp, now the Colts need a new kicker!
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, they have found one in Michael Badgley.
“The #Colts are signing kicker Michael Badgley to the active roster, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo,” Pelissero posted on X. “After Spencer Shrader’s season-ending knee injury, Indy moves forward with Badgley, who kicked for Indy in 2021 and is healthy after missing last season because of injury.”
Right after the win over the Raiders, head coach Shane Steichen said he pretty much knew right away that Shrader’s injury was bad news.
“It doesn’t look good, but I don’t have the full update,” Steichen said after the game.
New Indianapolis Colts kicker is an NFL veteran
This isn’t Badgley’s first rodeo in the National Football League. He was a rookie with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2018 where kicked for three seasons.
SIDE NOTE: You ever notice on a kicker’s stats it has them at “zero” games started? While it makes sense in terms of stats and kicking field goals, what about games where they kicked off? I guarantee I’m the only person that thinks of this stuff.
Sean Ackerman from Sports Illustraed has more on Badgley’s background and journey in the NFL.
Badgley filled in for the Colts in 2021, when Rodrigo Blankenship was dealing with an injury,” Ackerman of writes. “He played 12 games for Indy, nailing 18 of his 21 field goal attempts. He was a perfect 39-for-39 on extra points.
Badgley started his career with the Los Angeles Chargers, where he spent three seasons. Badgley knocked in 52 of his 65 field goal attempts with the Chargers, with a 59-yarder being his longest make.
Shrader’s Indianapolis Colts season was off to a hot start
Lost in the Badgley signing is how awful this is for Shrader. He was absolute dynamite so far this season, earning AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for the month of September.
He beamed about it this time last week.
“Luke (Rhodes) and Rigo (Sanchez) figured out that I got ‘Special Teams Player of the Month’ before I did,” Shrader said. “And their reaction was awesome. They were just so excited and so happy. And it made me feel good to bring those guys joy.”
What makes his injury even sadder is how excited he was to share his award with his teammates. He genuinely seemed happier for his long snapper and punter.
“Their reaction was awesome,” he said. “They’re just so excited and so happy. It made me feel good to bring those guys joy, and from that circle on to the team as a whole.”
Shrader was 13-for-14 in five games in 2025 for a 92.9% conversion rate. He was also perfect on 14 extra point attempts.
If the Colts keep blowing people out like they did last week, they’ll be okay if Badgley isn’t quite as good.
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