Former Cowboys kicker Greg Zuerlein considered ’50-50′ for Jets in Week 2
When the Jets take the field at AT&T Stadium on Sunday, they already know they’ll be without their Week 1 starter at quarterback. They now may also be without last year’s team points leader and a familiar face to many of the Cowboys player and coaches.
Kicker Greg Zuerlein suffered a groin injury during the team’s practice on Thursday, according to Jets head coach Robert Saleh. The former Cowboys specialist will not practice on Friday and is considered “50-50” to play in Week 2’s game.
The Jets will reportedly work out several kickers in case a late roster move is needed.
PK Greg Zuerlein injured his groin yesterday and will not practice today, per Saleh. He's 50-50 for the game. They will work out kickers today. #Jets
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) September 15, 2023
“It’s not serious,” Saleh said of the injury, “but serious enough to put Sunday in question.”
Zuerlein, now 35 and in his 12th NFL season, kicked for Dallas in 2020 and 2021. He was brought aboard when John Fassel took over the Cowboys special team coordinator role; the two had previously spent eight years together with the Rams.
Over his two seasons in Dallas, Zuerlein went 63-for-76 on field goal attempts, with nine of those misses coming from 50 yards or beyond. He was released in March of 2022 in a salary cap move.
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“Greg the Leg” soon signed with the Jets and went on to lead the team in scoring with 118 points. He connected on all three field goal attempts and his lone PAT try in New York’s overtime win versus Buffalo on Monday.
If Zuerlein is unable to go in the Cowboys’ home opener, it will leave the Jets with their backup quarterback trying to put the ball in the end zone against a Dallas defense that pitched a shutout in Week 1… and, if he cannot, relying on a brand-new kicker to put it through the uprights against a field goal unit that blocked one and returned it for a score to start their regular season.
