Colts K Vinatieri to undergo surgery, end season

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri will undergo season-ending knee surgery and be placed on injured reserve, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday morning.

The team confirmed the report on Monday afternoon.

Vinatieri recently suffered a knee injury. He had the knee looked at Wednesday, according to NFL.com. That report also said Vinatieri was scheduled to meet with doctors and team officials about next steps.

Vinatieri, 46, has been an NFL player since 1996. The last 14 seasons have been with the Colts.

Vinatieri has struggled through one of his worst seasons in the NFL, missing 8-of-25 field goals and six extra points.

“In 365 career games, Vinatieri converted 599-of-715 field goals (83.8 percent) and 874-of-898 extra points with one two-point conversion totaling 2,673 points, which ranks first in NFL history. He also ranks first in league history in field goals made, field goals attempted, consecutive field goals made (44), and 100-plus point seasons (21). Vinatieri owns Colts records for points scored (1,515), field goals made (336), and extra points made (507). He has played in 205 regular season games with the Colts, which ranks fourth in franchise history,” the Colts said in a news release.

As a result, the team claimed kicker Chase McLaughlin off waivers from San Francisco on Wednesday afternoon. McLaughlin made field goals of 50 and 19 yards on Sunday against Tampa Bay. He missed a 47-yarder that would have given the Colts a 38-31 lead; the kick hit the right upright and bounced away midway through the fourth quarter.