GLENDALE, Arizona — “Everything just becomes muscle memory,” Lucas Havrisik says, reflecting on his approach to placekicking.
The former University of Arizona kicker’s path to the NFL has been anything but straightforward, yet his recent performances with the Green Bay Packers show a player hitting his stride.
Havrisik’s college career at Arizona was modest by his own admission. “I wasn’t a great kicker at U of A. I was like 60%,” he recalls. In reality, his field goal percentage was 64%, a number tempered by his role in a platoon system where he took on the longer, more challenging kicks.
One standout moment came in 2017 when he nailed a 57-yard field goal, setting a program record at the time. “It was extremely fun. I was very grateful to play there,” Havrisik says. However, he admits his college performance suffered due to a lack of discipline. “I used to rely on my talent in college and wasn’t very good at process and routine.”
Going undrafted in 2022 wasn’t a surprise—placekickers rarely hear their names called on draft day. Still, Havrisik remained optimistic, noting, “I’ve been told a lot of good things by NFL teams.”
His early professional career was a whirlwind, with short stints on four NFL teams, including two waivers by the Cleveland Browns and a release by the Buffalo Bills last year. While searching for his next opportunity, Havrisik even considered a job as a substitute teacher. But when Packers kicker Brandon McManus went down with an injury a few weeks ago, Havrisik got another shot.
Havrisik seized the moment, going a perfect 5-for-5 on kicks in a win two weeks ago. He followed that up with another flawless performance against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, including a franchise-record-breaking 61-yard field goal before halftime.
“Somebody on the sidelines told me. I think a fan,” Havrisik said when asked if he knew he’d broken the Packers’ record. His mindset remains simple: “Every kick is the same. You just got to look up, keep everything routine, try to make the field goal.”
Havrisik is one of three former Arizona kickers currently in the NFL, alongside Tyler Loop and Nick Folk. “I guess we got some good kickers coming out of Arizona,” he quips. His immediate future with the Packers is uncertain once McManus returns from injury, but Havrisik’s recent success makes it hard to imagine he’ll be out of work for long. “I don’t want to do anything else. Try to do it as long as possible,” he says, determined to keep kicking. “If I don’t get signed within a year or two, I’ll probably wrap it up.”For now, Havrisik’s muscle memory—and newfound routine—is carrying him to new heights, one record-breaking kick at a time.
