GREEN BAY – It was bound to happen eventually.
After a spotless start to his first training camp in Green Bay, Brandon McManus' impressive streak of consecutive made field goals ended at 25 after his 49-yard attempt finished wide of the right upright during a windy Thursday at Nitschke Field.
True to form, however, the Packers' kicker quickly bounced back on his next set of tries with a pair of long-distance makes from 51 and 53 yards before drilling an extra point to improve to 28-of-29 through the team's first seven practices.
Recapping his day in the post-practice locker room, McManus had a wry smile on his face while reflecting on his lone miss.
"That might have been the best kick I've had all training camp and it didn't go in," McManus said. "That's the nature of this business."
The facts are McManus hasn't missed very often since signing with Green Bay last October. He connected on 21 of 23 field goals and all 31 extra points in 12 games (including playoffs).
Predictably, re-signing McManus in March ranked high on the Packers' list of offseason priorities – a move that effectively ended the team's three-year odyssey to replace all-time leading scorer Mason Crosby.
Confident but not content, McManus split his offseason between spending time with his wife and three children and working with new trainer Andrew Spruill in Boca Raton, Fla.
Looking to reinvigorate his offseason training, McManus was put in contact with Spruill through former Denver teammate Courtland Sutton. The workouts resulted in McManus reporting for training camp feeling significantly stronger in his lower body while also introducing him to a new training partner: All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce.
"That was fun," McManus said. "Both of us travel a lot. It was funny because sometimes we'd be there for two times a week together and then sometimes we wouldn't see each other for over a month. He's traveling. He's a busy guy with his life and me with my kids."
Count special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia among those impressed with the "tremendous physical condition" McManus is in for training camp and is excited about having the same three specialists for a second consecutive season.
The Packers have gradually renovated their special teams during Bisaccia's three-plus years in Green Bay, making two key acquisitions during the 2023 offseason with the signing of veteran long snapper Matt Orzech and punter Daniel Whelan.
As much as Green Bay wanted McManus back to complete that specialist trifecta, the feeling was very much the same for McManus since a return to the Packers would provide the stability at holder and long snapper that's eluded him throughout his 12-year career.
"We're really excited about the battery we have coming back all together, snapper, holder, kicker," Bisaccia said. "When Brandon and I have talked about it, (he says) 'You guys are paying me to come here and make field goals, not miss them.' A compliment to him certainly."
While it's critical for any kicker to have familiarity and chemistry with his specialists, the level of importance may be heightened a few notches due to McManus admittingly having very specific preferences on hold and operation.
As McManus points out, Thursday's windy practice was a great example of how Whelan understands how he wants the football held and where to place the laces in blusterier conditions.
So far, the results speak for themselves.
"I haven't had that much continuity between the snapper and the holder," McManus said. "I've almost always had a new holder or snapper every year of my career, so it's nice this year to have the same group and it makes it so much easier in the fact that Daniel blindly knows what I want now."
McManus gets the excitement surrounding his strong start to training camp, especially after the rough waters Green Bay's special teams navigated until his arrival midway through the 2024 season.
But making kicks is what McManus is paid to do and he hopes to continue riding that momentum for as long as possible.
"I guess it was news to me that it was a big deal, maybe," said McManus when asked about his streak. "I was happy to come in and perform well last year. Just come out here and do my job. It was nice weather. Today was by far the toughest day, pretty windy out there today, but it's always good to be kicking well and feeling confident."
