Adam Vinatieri Undergoes Hip Surgery

Adam Vinatieri, the kicker for the Indianapolis Colts, underwent hip surgery recently to correct a nagging hip injury. Although Vinatieri will have to avoid kicking for a while, the Colts fully expect to have him back for the beginning of the 2009 NFL season.

Adam Vinatieri - Colts Kicker (Image: Zuma Press)

At 36, Vinatieri has cemented his legacy as one of the clutchest kickers in the history of the league. While with the New England Patriots, the team he was with during the first ten seasons of his career, Vinatieri’s boot was responsible for multiple playoff wins.

Entering his fourth season with the Colts, he has continued to be a very accurate kicker — especially in big situations. In his career, he has connected on 331 of his 403 field goal attempts (82.1%). Of his 506 career extra point attempts, he has only missed nine.

The good news for the Colts is that Vinatieri has proven to be a reliable kicker. In his 13 years in the NFL, he has only missed three games. This hip surgery is likely only a hiccup prior to his 2009 campaign.