Nov 24, 2018

  • Eric D. WilliamsESPN Staff Writer

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    • Covered Seahawks for Tacoma News Tribune for six seasons.
    • Played college football game at University of Puget Audio

COSTA MESA, Calif. -- Let u.s.a. get the obvious thing out of the mode first.

Entering last week'due south game with the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers kicker Michael Badgley had not missed a field goal or an extra betoken in three games equally his squad's starting kicker, going 5-of-5 on field goals with a long of 44 yards and nine-of-nine on actress points.

However, Badgley pulled an extra point left in the third quarter in a game the Chargers ended upwards losing by 1 point -- leaving the Miami product frustrated afterward.

"It's points off the lath," Badgley said. "You demand to have advantage of information technology every time you can get points. So it hurt, but there's e'er going to be another boot, so you accept to kind of move on from it quick."

Badgley is 8-of-8 on field goals with a long of 46 yards, and ten-of-eleven on actress points through iv games.

Even with the hiccup against the Broncos concluding week, the Chargers have not lost faith in Badgley, and for proficient reason. After cycling through six kickers since the kickoff of last flavor, Badgley has brought much-needed stability to the position since taking over the starting chore three weeks ago, when the Chargers released Caleb Sturgis.

"Oh, absolutely," coach Anthony Lynn said, when asked if he yet believes in Badgley. "Just look effectually this league, I mean, a lot of really skillful kickers will miss one every now and so, and he's only missed one. And then I have a lot of confidence in him."

Chargers defensive cease Isaac Rochell said he likes the fact that Badgley hangs out with the remainder of his teammates and is one of the guys. Nonetheless, don't get it twisted; what Rochell likes best is seeing Badgley kick information technology through the uprights on game days.

"He's got that savage mentality that you lot don't think about in a specialist," Rochell said. "I think it'south super important when y'all have the game on the line and it comes down to a field goal and you take a guy who says, 'Aye, I'm non fifty-fifty worried about this. I can make this 10 times out of 10.'"

Added quarterback Philip Rivers: "We have swell conviction in Mike, and I recall Mike has got a lot of confidence, also, which his expert."

Badgley's proficiency spawned a nickname from Chargers fans on Twitter -- the "Money Badger" -- an homage to the guy that "makes all his damn kicks," as Lynn likes to say.

"That's a good proper noun," Badgley said, laughing. "I similar it. Why not? Let'due south roll with it."

Badgley is not curt on nicknames. In higher at Miami, they chosen him Bailiwick of jersey Mike -- a tip of the cap to the New Bailiwick of jersey native who still carries the unique emphasis and bravado that his state is known for.

"We've got a lot of nicknames for him," joked punter Donnie Jones. "He's from the U [University of Miami], so Blip Bleeping Mike Badgley from the U [laughs]. Money Mike, whatever -- I think nicknames are one of the things with guys having fun, and you accept to enjoy that."

Badgley said he has always just wanted to be one of the guys. The 23-year-old kicker played lacrosse, hockey and football in loftier schoolhouse, so he'due south not a soccer player who was coaxed over to the football field because of his strong leg.

Badgley said he also played quarterback, running back, safety and punt returner in loftier school growing up in Summit, New Jersey.

"The way I've always kind of gone about it is to continue what I've always done in life, and that'southward only exist an athlete," Badgley said. "I played three different sports [growing up], and so it's just taking that mindset from each one that I've gotten, and merely carrying that over to this one."

An undrafted rookie out of Miami, Badgley was a first-team, All-ACC selection his senior year, making 17 of 23 field goal attempts and 42 of 43 extra bespeak tries.

The Indianapolis Colts signed Badgley as an undrafted costless agent this offseason, and he fabricated all five of his field goals (including a long of 51 yards) and all five of his extra points during the preseason. Badgley received some tutelage from one of the all-time kickers ever to play the game in Adam Vinatieri.

"Being around a pro like that who'due south washed it for so long and has been so bang-up, annihilation you learn from that guy, of class you're going to accept it all in," Badgley said. "In that preseason when I was there with him, I did exactly that. I took as much information that I could from that kind of guy -- how to be effectually the facility, how to be a pro and how to become about practice."

One of the things that Badgley is working on is getting more than distance on kickoffs. Badgley has touchbacks on merely four of his 23 kickoffs this flavor, worst in the NFL at 17.iv percentage. Badgley has the leg to improve on kickoffs, booting a lx-yard field goal in practice.

He also has a mentor of sorts in Jones, who at 38 is 15 years Badgley's senior with more than a decade of NFL experience to lean on serving as the squad's punter and holder.

"At the kicker position in general yous accept to have a stiff makeup, and I come across that," Jones said. "He's a rookie, but simply the fashion he conducts himself at do, he doesn't let a lot affect him. And I recollect y'all can see that from the games he'south played hither, he's done a nice job.

"To have success in this league you have to accept a brusque retention, really in both good and bad. Just become out to work each week, and he'southward actually done that. I recollect he has a really bright hereafter in this league."