WATCH: Kicker Evan McPherson nails game-winning kick against Vikings
Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson drilled a 33-yard game-winning kick in overtime against the Minnesota Vikings.
His first attempt missed, but a timeout was called by the Vikings.
Then, he got his shot at redemption, and drilled the game-winner right through the uprights.
Check out the video below.
The game-winner as time expired was the first walk-off kick of McPherson’s life. What did he learn after he hit the first kick when the timeout was called?
“I learned that I struck that one well and I was gonna strike the next one well,” he told Ben Baby of ESPN after the game.
The game was in Cincinnati and it was the first win of the 2021 season for the Bengals.
McPherson Florida career
McPherson established himself as one of the best kickers in Florida Gator history, finishing his career in Gainesville with 302 points scored. He drilled 51 of his 60 field goal attempts at Florida, while also nailing 149 of his 150 PATs. The Alabama native led the SEC with a career field goal percentage of 85 percent. Despite only playing three seasons at Florida, McPherson ranks 35th in SEC history in career points (302).
In 2020, he showed off his excellent length for the Gators, drilling four field goals from over 50 yards, good enough for the school’s single-season record. The 55-yard bomb he nailed against Ole Miss was tied for the third-longest kick in school history. The 5-foot-11 kicker was named a Lou Groza Award semifinalist as a junior, the award given to the nation’s top kicker.
He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Highlights of the game
The game was back-and-forth for much of the contest, with Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins throwing for over 350 passing yards and connecting with receiver Adam Thielen for two touchdowns.
Former LSU star Joe Burrow looked very good in his first regular-season action since suffering a knee injury in 2020. Burrow completed 20 of his 27 pass attempts for 261 passing yards, while tossing two touchdowns and no interceptions. Ja’Marr Chase shined in his first regular-season game in the NFL, hauling in five catches for 101 yards and one touchdown.
Running back Joe Mixon put up some stellar numbers for the Bengals, rushing for 127 yards and one rushing touchdown on 29 carries.