The Washington Commanders have one kicker on their active roster, Zane Gonzalez, and one more kicker on their practice squad, Greg Joseph. They both missed work for the same reason on Wednesday.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn informed the media that both kickers were out for Wednesday’s practice because their respective wives were in the process of delivering a child. Or, as the practice report put it for Gonzalez: DNP (personal).
Here’s what Quinn said to a group of amused reporters:
“Both kickers are out today. Hopefully exciting personal news for their families today. Never a dull moment around here, man. We keep it exciting all the time … We have to come up with a certain name if they are both born today. There’s got to be some type of twin that takes place along that.”
Adding to the parallels: Both kickers got married this year and were expecting their first child, a son.
Per ESPN, Gonzalez’s wife Lizzy delivered a son, while word is still pending on Joseph’s wife Taylor.
The good news for the Commanders is that kickers usually don’t start kicking until Thursday, as punter Tress Way told ESPN. However, if both kickers remain unavailable until Sunday, when the Commanders face the Philadelphia Eagles in a pivotal game for their playoff chances, kicking duties will fall to Way.
As luck would have it, Way reportedly said he spends one day per year kicking field goals to practice for such an occasion, and this year’s day happened to fall last week. Way’s range is reportedly out to 40-45 yards.
The Commanders’ record currently sits at 9-5, which would be good for the final NFC wild card should the season end today. However, the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks are both 8-6, which means the NFC West’s second-place team is right behind them.