ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders released kicker Matt Gay on Monday, one day after he missed two kicks, including what would have been a game winner, in a 16-13 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins in Madrid.
“We wanted it to work long term,” coach Dan Quinn said Monday. “It wasn’t one game.”
To replace Gay, the Commanders are signing kicker Jake Moody off the Chicago Bears‘ practice squad, a source told ESPN. Moody made a game-winning kick for the Bears against the Commanders in Week 6.
Gay joined the Commanders in April on a one-year deal with $4.25 million guaranteed — the most a kicker has received for a one-year contract.
On Sunday, he missed a 56-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining in regulation that would have given Washington a 16-13 lead. Earlier in the game, Gay missed a 51-yarder.
After the game, Gay said “100 percent of the blame” for the loss fell on him.
In 11 games, Gay connected on 13 of 19 field goal attempts. But he was 4-of-9 from beyond 50 yards. Last season with the Indianapolis Colts, he missed 6 of 9 attempts beyond 50.
Gay was the eighth kicker signed by general manager Adam Peters, who joined the Commanders in January 2024. Moody will be the ninth.
Moody was 8-of-9 on field goal attempts for the Bears this season and 3-of-3 on extra point attempts after joining Chicago following his release by the San Francisco 49ers.
In his seven-year career, Gay has made 84% of his field goal attempts.
