Patriots Sign Kicker, Replace Injured Stephen Goskowski

FOXBOROUGH, MA — The New England Patriots signed kicker Mike Nugent, according to Adam Schefter, of ESPN. Nugent will replace Stephen Goskowski, who will miss the rest of the season with a hip injury that requires surgery. Goskowski plans to return in 2020.

Nugent, 37, spent most of his 13-year NFL career kicking for the Cincinnati Bengals. He also spent four seasons with the New York Jets.

Nugent's last stop was with the Oakland Raiders. He played six games last season before suffering a hip injury. During his time in Oakland, Nugent hit all six of his field goal attempts and went four-for-five on extra points.

Gostowski, 35, is a three-time Super Bowl champion and two-time All-pro kicker. But his struggles this season were unmistakable. Gostkowski missed a league-high four of 15 extra-point attempts.

Gostkowski has been a championship mainstay on the Patriots, having attempted every kick for the team since 2011. He replaced Adam Vinatieri and soon surpassed the iconic kicker in franchise record books, but has failed to live up to his predecessor's clutch reputation. Gostkowski has missed a number of extra-point attempts and field goals in the playoffs, including Super Bowls.