Green Bay Packers kicker Brandon McManus injured his kicking leg during Wednesday’s practice but still plans to play Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau Field, calming fears over the state of the kicking game after coach Matt LaFleur sounded the alarm earlier on Thursday.
McManus didn’t kick at practice on Thursday, but he said he suffered a similar injury during the 2022 season and still played — and kicked well — that Sunday.
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“It’s very similar to my injury that I had in ’22. I had a pretty good game, I had two 50-yarders and a 40-yarder in that game. So, like I said, I plan on playing,” McManus said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.
McManus was listed with a quad injury on Wednesday’s injury report. Coach Matt LaFleur said the injury was a “major concern,” but the veteran kicker quieted any concern over a significant, long-term injury.
McManus will have another opportunity to kick in a practice setting on Friday, but it’s possible he rests the leg until Sunday. The Packers will also release the team’s final injury report with status designations after practice on Friday afternoon.
The only backup plan on the roster as of Thursday is rookie Mark McNamee, who is an international player from Ireland and has never kicked in a regular season game.
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McManus is 7-for-9 on field goals this season, including a 2-for-2 mark on kicks of at least 50 yards. He made the game-tying 53-yarder in regulation and the game-tying 34-yarder in overtime during the Packers’ 40-40 tie with the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers K Brandon McManus plans to play Sunday vs. Bengals