Patriots Release Trick Kicker Josh Gable, But Belichick Hints He Could Be Back In Future
BOSTON (CBS) -- Josh Gable's stint on the Patriots practice squad didn't last long, as the YouTube star was released on Friday. But that doesn't mean he won't be back with the team sometime in the future.
The Patriots signed Gable, whose claim to fame is making some pretty incredible trick shot kicks on YouTube, to their practice squad on Wednesday, but the team moved on from him on Friday. The move made some sense, given New England's revolving door at the kicker position this season, but Bill Belichick made it clear that Nick Folk is their kicker for the rest of the season.
So why have Gable take up a spot on the practice squad for just two days? Belichick explained the move on Friday, and hinted that Gable could be back with the team in 2020.
"We had a spot available on the practice squad, and it gave us an opportunity to look at a younger kicker," Belichick told reporters, before professing his confidence in Folk. "We're going with Nick, so that's not really – we'll worry about that next year. But rather than just come in and do a workout, we were actually able to kick with the team and put him on the practice squad for a couple days. So, put that in the bank and maybe it comes up later on at some point in time down the road. Maybe it doesn't, I'm not sure. We'll see how it goes."
Gable is a former professional soccer player who changed sports after college. When not kicking on YouTube or Instagram, Gable has kicked competitively in the Indoor Football League.
With Stephen Gostkowski turning 36 in January and entering the final year of his contract, not to mention coming off a season-ending hip injury, getting an advanced look at Gable this week was a good opportunity for New England. If nothing else, it gives them a little bit of a jump on 2020 should they have to play musical chairs at the kicker position once again.
