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With the Los Angeles Chargers’ kicker Michael Badgley out with a groin injury today, the former Canadian Football League Punter/Place Kicker Ty Long will handle both Punting and Kicking duties today. With Long doing the kicking, backup QB Tyrod Taylor will be the holder.
With Michael Badgley out, Ty Long will be kicking AND punting for the #Chargers today. He's never played in a regular-season NFL game. Tyrod Taylor will be holding. He's never held in an NFL game. Cole Mazza will be snapping. He's never played in a regular-season NFL game.
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) September 8, 2019
With the history the Chargers have around kicking issues, that tweet is the opposite of encouraging. However, Ty Long was a kicker first and a punter second in the CFL. He converted 87.7% of his FGs, with a long of 52 in the CFL. The whole reason that Tom Telesco and the Chargers brought him in in the first place was this versatility to both Kick and Punt.
It does create the terrifying scenario where if he gets hurt today, the team will have to ask which of their players stayed at a holiday inn express or watched a youtube trick shot kicking video last night.
So, good luck to Ty-Ty.
Ty-Ty connection with only one miss so far. Made two 40-yarders https://t.co/cYyZiJkghL
— Gilbert Manzano (@GManzano24) September 8, 2019