Gostkowski: 'You never want to be looked at as a liability'

FOXBOROUGH — Kicker Stephen Gostkowski talked to Bostonsportsjournal.com over the summer about his game, and the veteran used a golf analogy when it came to breaking down his approach, comparing it to rebuilding a swing.

Two games into the 2017 regular season, and after a missed extra point attempt in Sunday’s win over the Saints, I asked him Monday again how he feels about the state of his swing.



Gostkowski, a big golf fan, went deep with his reply, saying that he “probably kicked 40 to 50 extra points by (himself) last week, and I don’t think I missed one of them.” As for what happened Sunday in the Superdome, he said it was “just one of those things,” and acknowledged he’s looking to get past what happened, pointing to his history as a two-time All-Pro as evidence he's overcome adversity.

“One thing I’ll say is that I’ve always been pretty decent at bouncing back and not letting (misses) affect me,” he said. “But I’m hoping to get to where I don’t have to feel that feeling very often. It’s a work in progress, and each week is a different week. You feel different. There are different elements and different circumstances — my opponent is the weather and myself. I just have to work on keeping myself physically and mentally strong. I want to be looked at as a very consistent player who helps his team win. At my position, you never want to be looked at as a liability.

“You deal with the situation that you’re dealt, and making excuses and crying over it doesn’t do it any good,” he added. “You (know) the old adage when you’re playing golf and you miss right one time? And then you try and overcompensate? I’m just trying to hit a kick where it’ll give me the highest percentage to make it. Will I hit them all? I hope to. I believe in my heart every time I go out I’m going to make the kick. It doesn’t always happen, but I think you have to be a little bit … almost naive in your confidence and know that good players make bad plays and they come back and make good ones the next time.

“Like I said, I’m just hoping to be (at a point) where I don’t have to pat myself on the back from coming back from this kick. I’d like to pat myself on the back for not missing any kicks. That’s what I’m working towards, and it’s always a work in progress. Every year, you play there are different challenges. It’s a week-to-week game-to-game, kick-to-kick kind of thing. Right now, that’s where my focus is. Moving past this week and going on to the Texans.”