Cardinals Player Goes Scorched Earth On Reporters In Defense Of Kicker

Matt Ammendola had a chance to be a hero in his Cardinals debut, but the third-year kicker wasn’t able to come through in the clutch.

Ammendola, who signed to Arizona’s practice squad last Tuesday and joined the team’s 53-man roster Saturday, was put in a high-pressure spot in his first game with Arizona. As the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles held a three-point lead at State Farm Stadium with 22 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Ammendola was called on to attempt a 43-yard field goal that likely would have ensured overtime had the 25-year-old converted. Unfortunately for Kyler Murray and company, Ammendola pushed it right and Arizona dropped to 2-3 on the season in the process.

The majority of reporters on site in Glendale understandably wanted to speak with the 2020 undrafted free agent following his costly missed kick. But the sea of bodies surrounding Ammendola at his locker did not sit right with Cardinals offensive lineman Justin Pugh.

“It’s not on one (expletive) guy,” Pugh told reporters, per Pro Football Talk. “Everyone’s waiting around on one (expletive) guy to come back here? This (expletive) ain’t right. It’s not right. It’s not on one (expletive) guy.”

Pugh, a 10th-year pro, told Ammendola to keep his head up before leaving the scene. You can watch the 2013 first-rounder’s outburst in the video here.

It remains to be seen if Ammendola, who has spent time with five teams the past two seasons, will be kicking for the Cardinals in Week 6. Next on the docket for Arizona is a divisional tilt with the 2-3 Seahawks in Seattle.