ATLANTA -- In the second quarter of the Falcons' Sunday-night showdown against the Green Bay Packers, Matt Bryant became the first kicker in franchise history to make 200 field goals.
Atlanta's all-time leading scorer, Bryant has been one of the most consistent and clutch kickers in the NFL since joining the Falcons in 2009.
"He's been, obviously, a positive for the team, in a number of ways," Falcons special teams coach Keith Armstrong said of Bryant. "I think from a leadership role, he leads by example; he's not afraid of the moment. So, that's what you look for in a football player."
Bryant is often at his best in big moments. He's a perfect 7-of-7 for the Falcons in the playoffs, including a game-winning 49-yard field goal against the Seattle Seahawks in the 2012 divisional round.
With his 51-yard field goal against the Packers, Bryant has now made 338 kicks in his 16-year career, which ranks 19th all-time. He is the sixth kicker since 2009 to make 200 field goals.
"You say, 'well the guy is tough,' how's a kicker tough," Manuel said. "Well, he's got a lot of plays, he's had several plays over the years where he's got to win the game. "He doesn't care if it's a 50-yarder or a 20-yarder, he's going to go after it the same way. I mean, that's him. Everything is 'the kick,' whether it's the first quarter or the fourth quarter. And he does that, and the other players see that. It's always the same: bam, bam, bam. You can't look for, you can't find a better example from a veteran player on and off the field."
