Kicker Brandon McManus experienced a very strong first season with the Green Bay Packers. But after struggling in his second season, the team elected to part ways with the veteran place-kicker.
Despite the bitter ending, McManus isn’t holding any grudges.
Following his release Friday, McManus posted a thank you message to the Packers organization, his Green Bay teammates and the team’s fans on social media.
“From the moment I arrived, you welcomed me and my family with open arms and made us feel at home,” wrote McManus. “The support, kindness, and passion you’ve shown mean more than worth can express…
“Thank you for trusting me, believing in me, and giving me the chance to be part of something so special.”
McManus saw his field-goal percentage drop from 95.2% in 2024 to 80% in 2025. He also missed an extra point during 2025 for the first time in three years.
Then against the Chicago Bears during the postseason, McManus didn’t connect on either of his field goal attempts and missed an extra point. The Packers lost 31-27.
Brandon McManus Thanks Packers for 2-Year Tenure
The writing was on the wall for McManus in Green Bay at the end of the 2026 NFL Draft. During the sixth round, the Packers selected Florida kicker Trey Smack at No. 216 overall.
While that obviously wasn’t a high pick, any kicker selection is noteworthy. The Packers chose Smack with their last selection, which indicated the team was unwilling to risk the former Gators kicker not going undrafted.
Green Bay officially released McManus less than two weeks later.
The kicker spent just two years with the Packers. But he spoke glowingly about the franchise’s legacy and historic Lambeau Field in his social media good-bye message.
“The environment at Lambeau Field is truly incredible,” wrote McManus. “There’s nothing like running out of that tunnel and seeing an entire community united by love for this team. The energy, the pride, the tradition — it’s something special.
“To be part of a franchise with such a rich history and tradition is an honor. The legacy of this organization inspires me every single day.”
In Smack, the Packers are getting a kicker who made 82.8% of his field goals the past three seasons at Florida. He connected on 81.8%, going 18-for-22, as a senior last year.
Smack made third-team All-SEC during 2025.
McManus’s departure in Green Bay came just a year after the kicker received a 3-year, $15.3 million contract.
Where Will McManus Continue NFL Career?
It’s not yet clear where the former Packers kicker will get his next opportunity. While he will turn 35 years old in July, he should have at least a couple more years in the league.
McManus, though, will have to rebound from his poor finish in 2025. Putting aside the field goal misses, if McManus made the extra point he missed in the postseason contest versus the Bears, the outcome could have been different.
McManus began his career with the Denver Broncos. He kicked nine years for the team, including in 2015 when the Broncos won their most recent Super Bowl.
Before coming to Green Bay, McManus spent a year with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In 186 NFL games over 12 seasons, McManus has made 82% of his field goals. He’s also hit on 97.4% of his extra points.
McManus did very well on long kicks early in his career. But with age and since not having the advantage of kicking at altitude for home games, McManus hasn’t featured as strong of a leg.
Kicker Brandon McManus Delivers Message to Packers After Release