GREEN BAY – Thirteen summers in, Brandon McManus still feels the same giddiness he once did as a young kicker trying to win one of the NFL's 32 jobs.
The circumstances certainly have changed. Now 33 years old, McManus is a former Super Bowl champion, veteran of 172 regular-season games and the most experienced player in the Packers' locker room.
Yet, his internal drive remains the same as it was during the beginning of a nine-year run with the Denver Broncos that produced 936 points from 2014-22.
"A lot of these guys were in grade school or middle school when I was playing for Denver," said McManus of his Packers teammates. "Maybe they didn't really know who I was, so … there's always an added motivation every now and then to prove who you are."
McManus did that and more after signing with the Packers six weeks into the 2024 season and saving the team's wayward kicking game. He made 20 of his 21 field-goals (95.2%) and all 30 of his extra points in the regular season.
McManus has always likened his mentality to that of a Major League Baseball closer – cold, stoic and unflappable under the brightest lights on the biggest stages.
So, it should come as no surprise McManus became the first kicker in league history to make back-to-back game-winning field goals as time expired during his first two appearances with a team – a 24-22 win over Houston and a 20-17 triumph in Jacksonville.
A case could be made McManus changed the course of the Packers' season after the team cycled through a series of kickers in the six months between the start of the offseason program and the Week 7 meeting with the Texans.
Predictably, the Packers prioritized re-signing McManus this offseason and stabilized the kicking game for the first time since all-time leading scorer Mason Crosby left in 2022.
"Keeping him, we think, is significant for us," said special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia. "His consistency that he had last year, the leadership that he started to bring to us the more he was in our locker room … it's good to know we have our kicker coming back in this year."
A self-labeled perfectionist, McManus admittedly asked a lot of holder Daniel Whelan and long snapper Matt Orzech during his first week on the job in Green Bay.
Where most kickers ask holders to lean the ball forward to see the K-ball's sweet spot, the 6-foot-3, 201-pound McManus prefers to lean the ball back because of his height and where he strikes the ball.
That was a small but significant change for Whelan to make midway through an NFL season. A credit to all parties involved, the operation found chemistry, consistency and friendship in their 12 games together.
Now, for just the second time in his NFL career, McManus is positioned to have the same holder and long snapper in back-to-back seasons. While several factors contributed to McManus' desire to stay in Green Bay, keeping that battery intact was near the top of the list.
"They've been phenomenal from the beginning," McManus said. "Those guys are pros who show up each and every day, so now it's more of me cracking jokes at them rather than trying to be hard on them to make sure they get it exactly the way I want it. But it's been great, obviously, continuing to work with them."
A resurgent 2024 campaign didn't come without some adversity for McManus, who missed his first career postseason field goal during the Packers' 22-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
It was frustrating on multiple fronts for the Philadelphia native who kicked at Temple. Not only was it McManus' first miss on 11 postseason tries but it also came from just 38 yards out.
Known for his accuracy inside 50 yards, McManus entered the playoffs having converted 83 of 88 attempts from 30-39 yards (94.3%) in his career. It's something McManus carried with him into his exit interviews with Bisaccia, Head Coach Matt LaFleur, and General Manager Brian Gutekunst.
"I forget about the whole season because it's such an easy kick," McManus said. "As the weather changes, it gets colder and a little windier. You can't be a little lazy and not swing and still attack the ball because it's a shorter field goal.
"I was extremely mad when I went into Gutey's office and mad at myself because the best players have to play their best when the playoffs are around."
Always one to learn from mistakes, McManus hit the reset button this offseason. After enjoying time off with his family, the kicker has felt reinvigorated since returning to Green Bay.
One of only two Packers players older than 30, McManus doesn't mind being the greybeard of the group. He wears his veteran status like a badge of honor, which serves as a reminder of just how far McManus has come in his own career.
While he's not hip to TikTok or Snapchat like some of his younger counterparts, McManus has adapted and evolved his game to continue performing at the highest level.
One thing that hasn't changed is his love for football and the camaraderie of an NFL locker room. Those two factors have McManus believing the best is yet to come in Year 12.
"When I came here and had a chance to be around the joyfulness and the youthfulness and the excitement about playing the game, it obviously rubs off," McManus said. "You have a smile on your face, happy and you get to go to work again. It's been awesome and a blessing to be here."
