Stampede Blue
Indianapolis Colts kicker Spencer Shrader has been named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for September.
Shrader, a former undrafted free agent from Notre Dame, is the first Colts kicker to receive this achievement since future Hall-of-Famer Adam Vinatieri earned the same honors in October of 2016.
While Shrader spent much of his rookie season as part of Indianapolis’ practice squad, he also temporarily played for both the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs last season. Entering the 2025 season, the Colts’ vote of confidence for Shrader, despite his inexperience, was noticeable. Indianapolis signed Shrader to a two-year deal, which then led to them eventually releasing veteran kicker Matt Gay.
A month into the 2025 season, the Colts are off to a 3-1 start, and it certainly helps that Shrader has been as good as Indianapolis could’ve hoped for. The second-year kicker has accounted for a league-best 51 total points, including converting on 92.9 percent of his 13 field goals. Shrader has also gone 12-for-12 on all of his extra points.
Shrader’s best moment thus far came during Week 2, when he nailed a game-winning, 45-yard field against the Denver Broncos and helped lift Indianapolis to its first 2-0 start since 2009. Shrader and the Colts will look to continue their great start Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders.
