Blake Grupe injures knee on the kickoff after debut field goal
Kicker Blake Grupe hurt his knee on the kickoff after making his debut field goal.
Blake Grupe had the perfect start to his Rams debut on Sunday. Blake Grupe booted a 44-yard field goal on the opening drive against Arizona.
Seconds later, everything fell apart. As Arizona returner Devin Duvernay broke through coverage on the kickoff, the 5-foot-7 kicker lowered his shoulder to tackle him.
The collision left Grupe grimacing on the ground with a knee injury. Trainers took him to the medical tent and he was ruled doubtful to return.
It caps a rough week for LA's special teams: the Rams had just waived the previous kicker for missing the overtime winner against Buffalo.
- 44 yards
- Grupe's debut field goal
- 5-foot-7
- Grupe's height
- 48 yards in overtime
- Mevis's missed kick distance
- October 18, 2026
- Game date
Why it mattersThe Rams now have no backup kicker on the active roster and must lean on their punter as an emergency option, forcing a major shift in play-calling.
AustraliaNo direct Australian effect. The story reflects the unusual nature of American football roster moves and injury timing.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
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