CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns made two roster transactions Wednesday afternoon, placing quarterback Nick Mullens on the practice squad/COVID-19 list and signing kicker Chris Blewitt to the practice squad—but the latter transaction has gotten the attention of many Browns fans and prompted some jokes across social media.
Blewitt is in his first season in the NFL, originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of Pittsburgh by the Chicago Bears in 2019. He made his NFL debut this season with the Washington Football Team, making two of his five field-goal attempts with a long of 52-yards and making both of his extra-point attempts. In Pitt, Blewitt finished his college career as the school's all-time kick-scoring leader with 363 points, making 55 of his 79 field-goal attempts and 198 of his 204 extra-point attempts.
While he may have been a collegiate record-breaking kicker, his last name is less than ideal for his position.
The irony of the kicker's name being Blewitt was not lost on fans who had quite a few jokes on social media.
The punter was Skip Shanks.
— Guy McDudeface (@thejosh1183) December 29, 2021
Frank Shank wasn’t available?
— Mark Salman (@MarkmanBorn1972) December 29, 2021
Why can’t we get Jack Nevermiss??
— Jim Shaffer (@JimShaf41777407) December 29, 2021
Perhaps the funniest thing about Blewitt's name is that while he played for Pitt, current Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett was also on the team, making for a duo with less-than-ideal last names for their positions. Luckily, names aren't indicators of skill and Blewitt will look to prove his name wrong, if he gets called to kick for Cleveland.
Right now, the Browns starting kicker Chase McLaughlin is on the COVID-19 list but with the NFL adopting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's new quarantine guidelines for people who test positive for the virus, he could be cleared any day and return for the must-win game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Practice squad kicker Chris Naggar played against the Packers in McLaughlin's absence and missed one of his two extra-point attempts, which is seemingly why the Browns brought in a third kicker.
Whether Blewitt sees any game action remains to be seen but nevertheless, the jokes are funny—and hopefully not prophetic.
A guy with the last name Blewitt kicking a field goal to win a Super Bowl would be the most Cleveland thing ever. It is always the opposite of what actually makes sense. https://t.co/JmX4vg8DfW
— Andy "Sad Panda" Gibbs (@SirAndy522) December 29, 2021
Camryn Justice is a digital content producer at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Twitter @camijustice.
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