If sports are defined by perseverance, there's perhaps no better example of resiliency in recent memory than kicker Matthew Wright.
A member of four teams and part of more than 10 transactions during this calendar year alone, Wright weathered consistent uncertainty and remained ready for when he would inevitably be called upon in a critical juncture. That moment presented itself in Sunday night's matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers, and with the game on the line, Wright came through.
The veteran kicker connected on all four of his field goal attempts in the game, including a 31-yard, game-winning kick as time expired. His final kick locked up a ninth-straight division title for Kansas City, and in recognition of his efforts, Wright was named the AFC "Special Teams Player of the Week" on Wednesday.
Remarkably, Wright is the third kicker to make a game-winning field goal as time expired for Kansas City this season, joining Harrison Butker (Week 2) and Spencer Shrader (Week 12). Unsurprisingly, that's an NFL record. Wright was signed ahead of Week 13 due to injuries to Butker and Shrader, but when it mattered most, Wright ensured that the Chiefs' kicking game didn't skip a beat.
Wright is also the second member of the Chiefs to earn "Special Team Player of the Week" honors this season, joining linebacker Leo Chenal (Week 10).
A ninth-straight AFC West title in-hand, the Chiefs will now turn their attention toward a matchup with the Cleveland Browns this upcoming Sunday.
