Blair Richard Walsh (born January 8, 1990) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). Walsh played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs and was selected by the Vikings in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
In his first year, Walsh set the NFL records for the most field goals of 50 or more yards in a season and the highest field goal percentage by a rookie. He also earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors. However, after missing a 27 yard kick that would have won the game during the 2015 playoffs, Walsh struggled the following season, which led to his release from Minnesota. Walsh later spent one season with the Seattle Seahawks.
High school career
Walsh attended Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and played football for coach Michael Morill as their punter and placekicker. As a senior, he made 14 of 20 field goal attempts and 30 of 31 extra point attempts. Twice he hit field goals from 59 yards. Walsh also averaged 41 yards per punt and 69 yards per kickoff. For his efforts, he was named to USA Today's All-USA First-team Offense and noted as a top-5 kicker in the nation by ESPN.com. He also played in the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
College career
Walsh attended the University of Georgia, where he was a placekicker for coach Mark Richt's Georgia Bulldogs football team from 2008 to 2011. He was a standout player who amassed a number of significant kicking statistics for which he became known as the "Athens Assassin". During his time at Georgia, he made 4 field goals in a game three times. Twice he attempted a field goal from his long, 56 yards, and converted it once in a game against Coastal Carolina in his senior year. In all, Walsh made 184 of 185 PATs and 76 of 103 field goals. However, in his senior year, he made just 21 of 35 field goal attempts. He also had two tackles and one fumble recovery to his credit.
Professional career
Minnesota Vikings
2012 season
Walsh was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings with the fifth pick of the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. A priority acquisition for the Vikings, Walsh would take over kicking duties for the released Ryan Longwell. Through the first 11 weeks of the season, Walsh missed only one field goal and had another blocked. He was 6-for-6 with kicks over 50 yards and 21-for-21 on extra point attempts. On December 16, Walsh passed Randy Moss for the Vikings' franchise record in points scored by a rookie (119). In his best week of his rookie season, in a game against the St. Louis Rams in week 15, Walsh equalled the NFL record for field goals made from 50 yards or more with his eighth kick (a new team record); his three 50-yarders in the game was also a team record. His 5 kicks also tied an NFL record for most field goals of 37 yards or more in a single game, 5, which only Chris Boniol equaled for the Cowboys in 1996 and Scott Norwood in 1988. The next week in a game against the Houston Texans on December 23, 2012, Walsh completed a 56-yard attempt, setting the NFL record for field goals over 50 yards in a season with his ninth 50+ yarder. The 56-yarder also tied the Vikings record of longest field goal set by Paul Edinger in 2005. It was broken by Greg Joseph with a walk-off 61 yard kick on December 24, 2022. In the final game of the 2012 season, Walsh completed a 54-yard field goal to make himself 10/10 over 50 yards on the season. He was 3 points short of tying an NFL record for most points in a season by a rookie at 144, Walsh ended 2012 with 141 points for the Vikings; which is the team record. His final regular season field goal allowed the Vikings to beat the Green Bay Packers 37–34 and earn a playoff berth. The field goal also tied the NFL record for most field goals by a rookie kicker at 35 with Ali Haji-Sheikh from 1983.
As reward for his standout rookie season, Walsh was selected for the NFC team in the 2013 Pro Bowl. Walsh was also selected to the All-Pro 1st Team.
2013 season
In the 2013 season opener against the Detroit Lions, Walsh tied the record for most consecutive 50 yard or more field goals with eleven, tying with Robbie Gould and Tony Zendejas. Walsh broke the record three weeks later against the Pittsburgh Steelers in London, England with his twelfth straight 50+ yard field goal. On November 24 against the Green Bay Packers Walsh hit four of four field goals and had five touchbacks off kickoffs; he was named NFC special teams player of the week.
