Then, the 38-year-old Vinatieri grew more serious and said:
“I always felt like as long as I could stay healthy I could do it for quite a while longer. I feel healthy again, I still love the sport as much as I ever have, and I feel like if I can continue to do a good job why not play another handful of years?”
If that's the case, and Vinatieri – as expected – can return and kick at a high level this season, there's little question that would help the Colts.
Stover, in his 20th season, performed very well for the Colts last season, and Swenson has solid collegiate credentials, but Vinatieri is one of the all-time clutch kickers in NFL history. He may not make a difference every game, but once, twice or three times a year he is still capable of making the game-winner, the kick that matters, and if that gives the Colts an edge in those games, it's a major factor.
Vinatieri last week talked extensively about last season. He talked of the frustration of being injured after a career in which such situations have been rare.
“It was something I'd never been a part of before,” he said. “I know guys go through some injuries and that kind of stuff, but for me, up until this last year, I'd been pretty doggone healthy and not missed a whole lot of anything. It was tough to stay on the sideline.
“I was extremely happy that our team won and Matt was here and doing well, so it wasn't like they were missing me too much, but standing on the sideline when you expect to be on the field is a tough thing to swallow.”
He also talked of not being crazy about the Colts' decision to have Stover kick in the post-season although he believed himself healthy enough to do the job.
“I understood the decision,” Vinatieri said. “I backed the decision they made. I felt like I could have gone out and done my job. When I came back for the Jets game, I wasn't pain free. But I knew I could have gone – at least I thought I could – but I understood that it was a question mark. The only thing that would have been worse than not playing would have been going out there and re-injuring myself, Now, all of a sudden, you're jeopardizing the success of our team. I understood the decision.
“It was frustrating, nonetheless, especially when you feel like you can go out and there and you could do it at a high level. But on the other side, I understood the decision and supported the decision. I was disappointed, but it was probably the right decision because it took out the variables of not knowing. When you get into the playoffs, you want to have the situation of, 'What's our best chance?'''
Vinatieri addressed the Stover situation as he addresses most situations – with class, with tact, and with honesty. Was Vinatieri was upset when the Colts didn't allow him to kick and as an elite athlete, wanted to play? Sure.
Is he smart enough to know teams make such decisions and there's not much point in worrying about them? Absolutely.
The guy is a veteran. He is class. He's exactly the kind of player a team such as the Colts – with young players everywhere on the roster – like having around.
The way Vinatieri talked last week he could be around a few years more. At least.
If so, what had been a fuzzy story, is a little clearer, and it's clearly some of the better news the Colts have received this off-season.
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