Will Reichard impressed Minnesota Vikings coaches, players and fans by kicking a 58-yard field goal at training camp this weekend. A video posted by Sean Borman shows the former Alabama Crimson Tide kicker nailing the FG at the end of practice.
According to Sports Illustrated, Reichard went 6-for-6 during the kicking session. And when he hit the 58-yarder, teammates cheered and ran to him to celebrate. Additionally, fans in attendance gave a standing ovation for Reichard as the kicking situation in Minnesota has been an issue for years.
The 58-yard FG could be the reason the Vikings selected Reichard in the sixth round of this year’s draft. During his time at Alabama, Reichard was First Team All-SEC selection in 2023 and was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Year. He was named to the All-America Second Team twice (2020, 2023) and helped the Crimson Tide win the national title in 2020.
“When he first came in here, he understood what he was up against. The job wasn’t just going to be given to him because he was a draft pick,” Vikings special teams coordinator Matt Daniels told media members last week, per the team’s official website. “He truly wanted to earn … the respect of his teammates and win the job.
“We got to a point, obviously, where there were some roster changes that needed to happen,” Daniels continued, “and as a result, we had to make that move. But Will has done an unbelievable job since he’s gotten here. You’ve all kind of gotten a good look what he’s capable of doing.”
Will Reichard talks being the ‘best version of myself’
“It’s always going to be trying to be as good as I can be, no matter the circumstance,” Reichard said. “Just trying to come out and get to work every single day and try to be the best version of myself, trying to get better. I think that’s still going to be my mindset, as it was [when competing with John Parker Romo who was cut from the team last week].”
In 2023, the Vikings had Greg Joseph as their kicker. In 17 games, Joseph made 24 of his 30 field goal attempts (80 percent) with his longest being 54 yards. He originally joined the team in 2021 and made history in 2022 after hitting a 61-yard field goal in the Week 16 game against the New York Giants. Joseph signed with the Green Bay Packers this offseason when his contract with the Vikings expired.
