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The Green Bay Packers took on the Miami Dolphins on Christmas Day in Week 16, and one of their oldest veterans got a Christmas gift by setting a franchise record on the opening kickoff.
Packers kicker Mason Crosby has been with the franchise since 2007, and has never missed a game since coming out of college. That consistency and reliability helped Crosby set a franchise record on Christmas, playing in 256 consecutive games.
The team announced that Crosby had set the franchise record on their official Twitter account, releasing a video to celebrate the achievement narrated by quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Although he hasn’t been the same kicker over the last couple of years, Crosby has been a part of some of the biggest moments of the Rodgers era in Green Bay, and the consecutive games record is a testament to what he’s been able to contribute to the organization.
At 38 years old, this could also be signaling the end of Crosby’s NFL career.
Mason Crosby’s Football Career
After playing for one franchise for 16 seasons, there are some Packers fans who don’t even know what the franchise looks like without Crosby as the team’s kicker. However, given his age and decline in play, there’s a real possibility that this could be Crosby’s final year in the league.
Crosby was a relatively unknown recruit coming out of high school in Georgetown, Texas. He received few FBS offers, but quickly became a star at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
In four seasons with the Buffaloes, Crosby completed 75 percent of his field goal attempts with a longest of 60 yards. He made 109 extra points and 66 field goals, earning first-team All-American honors twice and All-Big 12 honors three times.
That production and consistency helped Crosby get taken in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL draft by the Packers, where he’s played ever since. In 16 seasons with Green Bay, he’s led the league in scoring once, been a member of a Super Bowl champion team, and broken the franchise record as their all-time leading scorer.
After breaking the record for consecutive games, Crosby has accomplished as much as any veteran kicker can ask for, and it could be time for him to hang up his cleats this offseason.
Latest Packers News
The Packers were playing on Christmas Day, but the team was still plenty busy heading into their game against Miami while fans were making plans for the holidays.
Veteran receiver Sammy Watkins was released hours before the team’s Monday Night Football matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. The emergence of young receivers like Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs made Watkins expendable, but the former fourth overall pick was still able to land another job after reuniting with the Ravens.
In more positive news, Pro Bowl offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins signed a four-year, $68 million extension the week leading up to their Christmas Day game. The versatile lineman was set to be a free agent this offseason, but the Packers wanted to retain one of their best players in the trenches.
Green Bay’s playoff hopes are still slim, but general manager Brian Gutekunst is busy making moves for the long-term success of the franchise.
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