NFL Insider Calls Snubbed Vikings Kicker as First Team All-Pro

There haven’t been many highlights for the Minnesota Vikings this season. Even with the possibility of finishing with a winning record by beating the Green Bay Packers in Week 18, they’ll still miss the playoffs. To make matters worse, Minnesota was one of just three teams shut out of Pro Bowl voting.

It’s still possible that Kevin O’Connell’s squad sends one or two players to the Pro Bowl Games once opt-outs and ineligibilities are factored in. Arguably more meaningful than the Pro Bowl, however, is All-Pro recognition, and Will Reichard has more than earned it.

Bill Barnwell Gives MN Vikings Kicker his All-Pro Nod

Despite outkicking Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey head-to-head earlier this season, it was Aubrey, not Will Reichard, who earned the Pro Bowl selection. ESPN insider Bill Barnwell corrected that oversight with his All-Pro picks.

Brandon Aubrey gets deserved plaudits as the league’s best kicker on a weekly basis, but Reichard has actually been slightly better this season per advanced metrics. He has attempted eight fewer field goals than Aubrey, but Reichard has gone 30-for-32, whereas Aubrey is 35-for-40. Even with the slightly reduced volume, Reichard has made 6.7 more field goals than expected (per NGS), compared with 6.5 for Aubrey, as his average field goal make has been from a yard further out. Reichard has also been perfect on extra points. Vikings fans endured about a decade of frustrating kickers, but Reichard has broken that trend.

Bill Barnwell – ESPN

Reichard made headlines by drilling a 58-yard field goal as a rookie and later extending his career-long with a 62-yard make this season. Beyond sheer distance, his performance has also drawn because of a small number of missed kicks.

There’s absolutely no denying that one miss in London against the Cleveland Browns struck a wire hanging above the playing surface. It’s also possible a similar issue occurred at SoFi Stadium against the Los Angeles Chargers.

MOVE THE WIRES 😂😂😂 32/32 https://t.co/UK4jt1uWyg

— Isaiah Rodgers Sr. (@rodgers_isaiah) January 1, 2026

The history of the NFL kicking is filled with heartbreak. Perfect seasons have been ruined with wide-lefts and wide-rights. In recent years, the position has been a revolving door for Minnesota, especially after Mike Zimmer’s abrupt dismissal of Daniel Carlson left the team searching for stability.

Reichard has been exactly that answer. The Vikings’ special teams unit as a whole, (long snapper Andrew DePaola, punter Ryan Wright, and Reichard) has been among the most consistent this across the league this season. Reichard should have been a Pro Bowler, but a first-team All-Pro nod is a a fitting and meaningful consolation.