The New Orleans Saints were hoping Pro Bowl kicker Wil Lutz would return to their starting lineup at some point this season. On Tuesday morning, however, Lutz had unfortunate news to share with his fans.
Lutz , who began the season on the physically unable to perform list because of a core muscle injury, suffered a setback in his rehab that’ll force him to miss the rest of the 2021 season.
“2021 has been filled with adversity, personally, but with adversity comes an exciting challenge. Unfortunately I had a setback during the rehab process that has forced me to shift my focus to being 100% healthy for the long term and shut it down for the season,” Lutz wrote. “I want nothing more than to be out there with my teammates helping us win games, and I look forward to doing that when healthy! Thank you to the best fan base in the country for the support and well wishes, we’ll be back stronger than ever.”
With Lutz out for the rest of the season, New Orleans will need to rely on rookie kicker Brian Johnson. He made a 33-yard field goal to give the Saints a 13-10 lead with less than two minutes remaining in the game.
Lutz believes the Saints will be just fine with Johnson handling the kicking duties this fall.
“Congrats to Brian on his first game winner,” Lutz said. “New Orleans, you’re in good hands!”
The Saints have struggled to find a replacement for Lutz this season. Clearly, Aldrick Rosas and Cody Parkey weren’t able to rise up to the challenge.
If Johnson can build off Monday night’s performance, he could become the unquestioned starter in New Orleans for the rest of the year.
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