K Greg Joseph Agrees to 1-Year Deal to Stay with Vikings

By Josh Frey |

Mar 14, 2023

K Greg Joseph is officially set to return to the Vikings for his third season with the team after agreeing to a 1-year/$2.5 million deal to remain in Minnesota for the 2023 season. The news was first announced by Joseph’s agent, Brett Tessler.

Congrats to my client Greg Joseph on his new deal with the Minnesota Vikings! Set the NFL record with 5 game-winning field goals last season including the club record 61-yard game winner against the Giants & 2 NFC special teams player of the week awards.
— Brett Tessler (@TesslerSports) March 15, 2023

Joseph joined the Vikings in 2021, and in that first season in Minnesota, he made 33/38 field goal attempts (86.8%), but in his second ever game with the team, he missed a potentially game-winning kick against the Arizona Cardinals from 37 yards away.

Since that game, though, he has been an extremely clutch player for the Vikings, hitting seven game-winners. This includes his Vikings franchise record 61-yarder against the New York Giants on Christmas Eve to secure the NFC North title for Minnesota.

K Greg Joseph — Dec 17, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings place kicker Greg Joseph (1) celebrates his game winning field goal against the Indianapolis Colts after the game at U.S. Bank Stadium. With the win, the Minnesota Vikings clinched the NFC North. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

There have been two major areas of inconsistency for Joseph over the course of his Vikings career, though: field goals from 50+ yards and XP attempts. It’s a very strange combination, but it’s the truth. Especially in 2022, Joseph was money from under 50 yards, hitting 22-of-23 attempts of that variety last season. Meanwhile, he went just 4-for-10 on attempts of 50+ yards.

As for extra points, this is perhaps the most befuddling part of Joseph’s kicking. He missed four attempts in 2021 and six in 2022. No kicker missed more XPs in 2022 than Joseph.

Despite some these struggles, there certainly is merit to the thought that the best way to improve the special teams is to keep consistency. Minnesota also re-signed long-snapper Andrew DePaola on Tuesday, and punter Ryan Wright remains under contract in 2023, meaning the full trio will officially stay intact for a second consecutive season.

Aug 21, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings kicker Greg Joseph (1) celebrates with long snapper Andrew DePaola (42) during the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

According to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press, this is just the second time since 2014 that the Vikings have kept the same kicker, long-snapper, and punter in consecutive seasons. The other was 2020 when Minnesota brought back Dan Bailey, Britton Colquit, and Austin Cutting.

For just the second time since after the 2014 season, the #Vikings might start next season with the same kicker, punter and long snapper. They started 2020 with a holdover cast of Dan Bailey, Britton Colquitt and Austin Cutting although that didn't go too great that season.
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) March 15, 2023

As Tomasson quips in the tweet above, that trio didn’t work out too well in 2020, so hopefully it works out better this time around. In all, over his first two seasons with the Vikings, Joseph has made 59/71 field goal attempts and 76/86 extra point attempts.

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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.