Colts' K Matt Gay is struggling with a groin injury, status unknown for the rest of the week

After practice on Monday before the Week 1 opener against the Houston Texans, head coach Shane Steichen announced that Colts kicker Matt Gay has a groin injury.

When asked if Gay would practice this week, Steichen said, “We'll see,” so his status for the team's Week 1 game is uncertain at this time.

#Colts HC Shane Steichen said K Matt Gay is dealing with a groin injury and “we'll see” if he will practice this week, so they've brought Spencer Shrader back to the practice squad.

— Jake Arthur (@JakeArthurNFL) 2 September 2024

The Colts brought back rookie Spencer Shrader from the practice squad as Gay battled that injury. Shrader appeared in two of the Colts' three preseason games and made all four extra point attempts and both field goals, including a 56-yard kick.

Gay had an inconsistent preseason. While he converted all five extra point attempts, he made just 1 of 4 field goals and missed two from over 50 yards.

We don't currently know when Gay first began dealing with this injury, but suffice it to say: After Shrader kicked the first extra point attempt in the final preseason game against Cincinnati, he attempted the 56- and 41-yard throws later in the game.

Both Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard have expressed their confidence in Gay as their kicker.

“No,” Ballard said when asked if he was worried about Matt Gay. “He's a good kicker. A really good kicker.”

Gay is coming off the 2023 season – his first with the Colts – in which he made 33 of 41 attempts. Five of those eight misses came from over 50 yards – although in Week 3 against Baltimore he became the first kicker to make four kicks from 50 or more yards in a game, including the game-winning one.