This is a really tough break for Blake Grupe. The former New Orleans Saints kicker suffered a season-ending knee injury while trying to make a tackle on special teams in his Los Angeles Rams debut. Arizona Cardinals returner Devin Duvernay fielded a kickoff in Sunday's upset win over the Rams, and Grupe ended up being the last line off defense.
Facing a big mismatch at 5-foot-7 and 156 pounds against the 5-foot-11 and 202-pound Duvernay, Grupe desperately threw a shoulder into the return man to force him out of bounds. The hit sent Grupe spinning into the sideline, whipping his legs around painfully. He was diagnosed with a torn ACL after the game.
Not at all how I envisioned my time in LA. The energy and excitement I felt going into this game
was incredible. I couldn’t wait to step on that field and show what I could do. No choice other than to attack rehab and come back stronger and more prepared than ever. 💙💛 I will… pic.twitter.com/UD79BqxsNx
— Blake Grupe (@blakegrupe) October 19, 2026
Grupe's career started with the Saints as a rookie free agent out of Notre Dame and Arkansas State, but he was let go after several inconsistent seasons. He landed with the Indianapolis Colts last season and initially spent time with the New York Jets this summer before the Rams signed him to replace Harrison Mevis. Now Grupe must work his way back to the game through a long recovery.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Former Saints kicker suffers season-ending injury in Rams debut
