Rams kicker knocks himself out of debut with tackle attempt

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Blake Grupe and Dean Connors talk during an NFL game at SoFi Stadium. foxnews.com

Blake Grupe kicks a field goal during a game at SoFi Stadium. foxnews.com

Blake Grupe celebrates with Los Angeles Rams teammates after a field goal. foxnews.com

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Blake Grupe's debut as the Los Angeles Rams' kicker lasted one kick longer than his first field goal. Signed days earlier as the replacement for Harrison Mevis, Grupe capped the Rams' opening drive against the Arizona Cardinals with a successful 44-yard field goal at SoFi Stadium — then injured his knee on the ensuing kickoff, attempting to tackle returner Devin Duvernay.

Duvernay had broken through the kickoff coverage, leaving the 5-foot-7 Grupe as the last line of defense. Grupe lowered his shoulder to force him out of bounds at the 47-yard line; the collision left the kicker on all fours, grimacing in pain. Trainers took him to the blue medical tent, and he retreated to the locker room with a knee injury designation, ruled doubtful to return.

The vacancy Grupe filled had opened within the past week, when the Rams waived Mevis after he pushed a 48-yard attempt wide in overtime against Buffalo — a miss that cost Los Angeles the game. General manager Les Snead signed Grupe days before the Cardinals match. By the time Grupe exited, punter Ethan Evans was taking reps into the practice net; Evans has zero NFL field goal attempts, and the Rams carry no backup kicker on the active roster. Head coach Sean McVay was left treating Evans as an emergency-only option, with play-calling tilted toward aggressive fourth-down conversions.

The injury was self-inflicted — the result of the one tackle a kicker is signed never to make.

By Monday morning, the Rams' front office was expected to be searching for its third kicker in seven days.