Former Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh made his presence felt on the football field after taunting his former team’s sideline following his second and third field goal tries Friday night. (Walsh didn’t taunt after his first attempt because he…well…missed.)
All Vikings fans will think of one kick when they think of the name Blair Walsh. That is of course, the 27 yard chip-shot field goal he missed against the Seattle Seahawks in 2015 that would have all but sealed a playoff win.
Despite the gigantic blunder, Minnesota stuck with him and he came back in 2016 ready to put that kick behind him.
However, Walsh proceeded to miss four field goal attempts (made 12 of 16) and miss four extra point attempts (made 15 of 19) through the first nine weeks.
Minnesota did what any team would do in that situation; they cut Blair Walsh.
Funny, of all the teams in the NFL, Walsh landed in Seattle to kick for the Seahawks. The same team he almost single-handedly was responsible for advancing to the second round of the 2015 NFL playoffs.
Fast forward to Friday night’s preseason game in Seattle, there is Walsh. Only this time, he was sporting a new No.7 lime-green and navy Seahawks jersey.
Walsh was called upon during Seattle’s 2nd drive to kick a 53 yard field goal. ‘Doink’. Right off the crossbar. The kick didn’t quite have enough leg.
That’s when Walsh claims Vikings players started taunting him. “I felt like it was nothing that was serious or meant to be hurtful, but I wanted to let them know that it just wasn’t going to roll off.”
In other words, ‘they started it.’
Blair may have told reporters it wasn’t serious taunting, but he clearly felt the need to strike-back per say.
Blair made a couple of 52 yard field goals in the second half (against Minnesota’s back-ups). After each of them, Walsh turned to the Minnesota sidelines and pointed right at the team in taunt-like fashion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJEQ8hQ_xrs
“I didn’t say anything though,” Walsh said, “Just looked at them.”
Somebody may want to tell Blair Walsh, ‘it’s only preseason’ – these games don’t count.
