Cairo Santos kicks walk-off for first time in NFL career

The Chiefs hadn’t played a regular-season game at Carolina since 2008, two years before kicker Cairo Santos enrolled at Tulane.

But a key to Santos’ productive day, which included the game-winning field as time expired in the Chiefs’ 20-17 victory over the Panthers was familiarity.

The Chiefs played a preseason game at Bank of America Stadium in 2014, when Santos was an undrafted free agent battling veteran Ryan Succop for the job.

Santos remembered a well-kept turf, short grass and few problems with the conditions for the kicking operation.

“It helped knowing that coming into this game,” Santos said.

So when Santos and the kicking operation calmly took the field after the Chiefs called a time out with four seconds to play, they were ready.

Marcus Peters had just turned in the defense’s second remarkable play of the quarter when he wrestled the ball away from Kelvin Benjamin to give the Chiefs possession at the 29 with 29 seconds remaining. That came a few minutes after Eric Berry’s interception return gave the Chiefs’ new life in a game it never led until the clock read 0:00.

“I thought this thing was going to overtime,” Santos said. “I was just hanging out, and I watched Marcus strip the ball. I jumped up to get my helmet.”

Santos quickly kicked a couple into the net to warm up on a chilly afternoon. A Spencer Ware run went for 11 yards, and quarterback Alex Smith kept the final offensive snap and fell into the middle of the field at the 18.

The field goal would be spotted at the 27, making it a 37-yard attempt. James Winchester’s snap was less than perfect to holder Dustin Colquitt but Colquitt made the adjustment and Santos kicked it through as time expired.

“I told myself don’t rush it, take is slow,” Santos said. “Take the steps slow.”

The first walk off field goal in Santos’ NFL career didn’t ignite a wild celebration scene. Santos got a hug from Winchester and another from tight end Travis Kelce, but it seemed almost like a routine moment.

With Santos it’s becoming that way. His perfect day on Sunday pushed his field goal success rate to 88 percent, 22 of 25. Sunday marked the fifth time in his career that made four field goals in one game.

Naturally, Santos remembers the misses, like the short attempt that banged off an upright at Indianapolis two weeks ago. But it’s all part of the confidence-building process.

“There are kicks I’d like to have back this season, some short ones,” Santos said. “But all those misses taught me a lot of things. I credit the confidence and the ability I have today to the ups and downs you go through as a kicker.

“Right now, it feels great, the way I’m kicking.”

This story was originally published November 13, 2016 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Cairo Santos kicks walk-off for first time in NFL career."