HOUSTON – Matthew Wright doesn’t know when the next telephone call is coming, signaling another airplane flight and another NFL opportunity to ply his trade.
Wright’s profession is kicking field goals and extra points and kickoffs. He’s a journeyman kicker.
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However, he doesn’t have a full-time, permanent job. So, Wright stays constantly ready for the next opportunity as a free agent. It’s akin to being a substitute teacher or being given short-term work assignments by a temp agency.
He joined the Texans’ practice squad Tuesday night when regular kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn injured his quadriceps two days earlier and was ruled out for Sunday’s game. Wright has practiced for the past three days with his new teammates and will be counted on Sunday to step in as Fairbairn’s replacement against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
How Wright compartmentalizes the uncertainty of stayed prepared for the next assignment and wondering when that chance might come is instructive. It’s a portrait of extreme focus and patience.
“I try to treat each week as If I’m gonna play no matter what, if I’m at home on my couch or if I’m here,” Wright said Wednesday at his new spot in the Texans’ locker room. “So, yeah, just trying to stay mentally ready, stay kicking, always be ready.”
A native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania who played collegiately at Central Florida, Wright, 29, has kicked for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions, Jaguars, once making a game-winning kick for them in 2021 in an overseas game in England, Kansas City Chiefs, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Washington Commanders and now the Texans.
Last year, he was with four different teams. This marks his fourth different NFL city this year.
How does he handle the stress of being thrown into a new kicking operation in terms of long snapper, holder, coach on such short notice?
“Obviously, the first couple of times, it’s real nerve-wracking,” Wright said. “You don’t know exactly what to expect. You realize it’s kind of the same thing: stay focused on my job. My job is just to kick the ball. There’s a pro snapper, pro holder. Just focus on what I can do. The only thing is just the timing and then getting the lean on the ball.
“They’re both pros, so it’s usually pretty seamless. It doesn’t really matter who I’m playing. Just focusing on snap, hold, kick, making my kicks.”
Wright has made 56 of 65 career kicks and 43 of 45 extra points. His longest field goal is 59 yards.
He has made his only field goal try this season for the Commanders and both extra points. He’s 7 of 11 all-time from beyond 50 yards, 18 of 22 from 40 to 49 yards, 22 of 23 from 30 to 39 yards and 12 of 12 from 20 to 29 yards.
How tough is it to kick on short notice with so much on the line?
“Me personally, I think, yeah, heck, that’s a lot of pressure,” Texans special teams coordinator Frank Ross said. “But kudos to him. That’s part of the charm and the draw about Matt was he’s stepped in as a pinch hitter. That’s what he has made his mark to this point in his career. For him, what another opportunity.
“Come out here and hopefully kick us through a divisional win. Him coming in here and just having that calm and that consistency, that’s led him to being able to not to wig out and just being used to, ‘Hey, I do my job consistently daily, whether I’m on the team or off the team.’ When the lights are on, it doesn’t change for him. I’m excited to see if he can do that for us.”
Fairbairn, 31, a former Lou Groza award winner at UCLA, has made 22 of 25 field goals this season for an 88 percent success rate. He missed a 51-yard attempt wide right Sunday. He has made 12 of 12 extra points. His longest field goal this season is from 57 yards. .
He has tried out for the Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals this fall. Fairbairn’s injury isn’t regarded as long-term, so this could be a one-week assignment for Wright. Wright has some familiarity with Texans punter Tommy Townsend, who held for him in Kansas City.
“He’s done an outstanding job,” Ross said. “Really everywhere a kicker who hasn’t landed a full-time job has been, you’re looking for familiarity. So, my first resource was Tommy Townsend. So, I brought Tommy up to the office: ‘What do you know about Matt?
“That makes ourselves more familiar to get up and running with an operation on a short notice. So, excited to have Matt here and we’ll find out if we can control field position against the Jaguars when we need it most.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com