When Blake Grupe joined the Colts in Week 14 of the 2025 season, he did so fully aware of his standing with the team. The kicker was brought in to make PATs and short-yardage field goals for the remainder of the season, and anything beyond that – given the fact that Spencer Shrader expected to return fully healthy from his ACL and MCL injuries for 2026 – was up in the air.
Grupe made good on his opportunity with the Colts, connecting on all 11 of his field goals and 10 of his PATs and making a franchise-record 60-yard field goal. He stuck to his routine and didn't lose confidence in himself or his abilities, impressing his teammates and his coaches.
Now, after re-signing with the Colts last week, Grupe has another opportunity to compete and prove himself in 2026.
"I've been told I'm coming in to go to work and try to win a job just like it'd be if I was anywhere else," Grupe said. "So, I'm excited to be back in Indy and kind of continue to keep the ball rolling, like I was able to to end the season...Just continue to be the best I can...regardless of the situation – that's always kind of the motto I guess you could say. So, just going to continue to try to be my best and push to continue to be more consistent, and continue to better myself and do my job to help the team."
Shrader, who was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month last September, still remains under contract with the Colts. In five games in 2025, Shrader was 13-of-14 on field goal attempts and a perfect 14-for-14 on PATs; in Week 2 against the Denver Broncos, Shrader connected on five field goals and two extra points for a total of 17 points, including the 45-yard walk-off field goal.
Grupe said he wanted to come back to the Colts despite knowing the competition he would be facing.
Grupe also already has good relationships with both Shrader and Colts special teams coordinator Brian Mason thanks to Notre Dame Football; Mason was Grupe's special teams coach at Notre Dame in 2022, and Grupe recruited Shrader to play for the Fighting Irish in 2023. And with the presence of veterans Luke Rhodes and Rigoberto Sanchez, Grupe quickly found a rhythm with the Colts that was hard to part with.
"(I) really value the way the organization handles things and treats people and value the room with Luke and Rigo and Mase (Brian Mason) and all the coaches," Grupe explained. "So, I'm excited for this opportunity and everything – I have the opportunity to go improve this year. So like I said, I'm excited to go out and work. And yeah there were opportunities (with other teams). But I mean at the end of the day, I chose to come back here and I'm excited."
In the first 11 games of the 2025 NFL season with the New Orleans Saints, Grupe struggled for the first time in his career, missing eight field goals (18-of-26) for the team that initially signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2023. The Colts provided a fresh start for Grupe and he made the most of it – and fully intents to keep doing so.
"When I look at it from like a technical side, I didn't change a single thing from what I was doing/always have done," Grupe added. "So that's kind of what made me the most proud is the fact that I (stayed) true to myself and what I knew works for me, but I think what made it work in Indy so much and so well so quickly, was the fact that I was able to get comfortable with everybody and everything. When you just kind of prove yourself again – that's another thing I enjoyed, is just the opportunity to prove myself again and show everybody what I can do. I really love that kind of stuff...I really enjoy those competitive situations where I get to prove myself to everybody. That's kind of what keeps me going."
