Saturday afternoon NFL: Will Reichard kicks walk-off winner in pro debut

Kicker Will Reichard picked up a nickname in his first game with the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday – Walk-off Will.

Reichard made a 38-yard field goal on the final snap of Minnesota’s NFL preseason opener to lift the Vikings to a 24-23 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. The victory ended a 10-game preseason losing streak by Minnesota.

Reichard joined the Vikings in the sixth round of the NFL Draft on April 27 after becoming the NCAA career scoring leader while at Alabama. He made his pro debut in Saturday’s game, one of four NFL preseason games played on Saturday afternoon. In the other games:

· Adrian Martinez, the Birmingham Stallions quarterback and UFL MVP in 2024, drove New York 56 yards in nine plays to a 37-yard field goal by Austin Seibert with 24 seconds to play to lift the Jets to a 20-17 victory over the Washington Commanders. Washington started 2024 No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels at quarterback, and former LSU All-American directed an 11-play, 70-yard drive that he capped with a 3-yard touchdown run in his only action.

· Chicago pulled away in the fourth quarter with a 53-yard touchdown interception return by linebacker Micah Baskerville and two TD runs by running back Ian Wheeler in a 33-6 victory over the Buffalo Bills. Quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, made his pro debut by running the Bears offense in the first quarter. On two series, Williams completed 4-of-7 passes for 95 yards and had a 13-yard run while producing two field goals.

· Quarterback Jordan Love threw a 65-yard touchdown pass on the third snap to send the Green Bay Packers on their way to a 23-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

A Hoover High School standout before kicking for the Crimson Tide, Reichard came through after his first field-goal attempt for Minnesota was blocked. On the first snap after the first-half two-minute warning, Reichard lined up for a 36-yard field-goal attempt, but the kick was blocked by Las Vegas defensive end TJ Franklin. Raiders safety Phalen Sanford picked up the loose football and returned it 42 yards to the Minnesota 40-yard line.

Former Alabama cornerback Khyree Jackson was a fourth-round draft choice of the Vikings on April 27, but he died in a traffic accident on July 6 in his hometown of Upper Marlboro, Maryland. On Saturday, Minnesota had his family at the game, and Jackson’s younger brother, Kolston, served as the honorary captain for the Vikings at the opening coin toss.

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