On a crisp autumn night in Green Bay, as the stadium lights flickered on and the whistle blew for pre-game warm-ups, the hush over Lambeau Field held a peculiar tension. It wasn’t just the usual fall crisp or the buildup to another NFC Central-era throwback matchup. It was the quiet uncertainty around which leg would deliver field goals when the lights mattered most. For the Green Bay Packers, the placekicking position—which typically dwells in the background—has become one of the most compelling subplots of their 2025 season.
The veteran kicker Brandon McManus, charged with restoring stability, looked to step back in against the Steelers despite a nagging quad injury. Meanwhile, young challenger Lucas Havrisik, firmly on the roster and capable of a booming leg, remains on the roster but has seen his role shift to waiting mode. The ripple effects span locker-room psychology, fan chatter and the very flow of games down the stretch.

Veteran Presence: Brandon McManus’ Return and What It Means

McManus arrived in Green Bay in mid-October 2024, signed by the Packers in a bid to steady the kicking game after years of turnover. spectrumnews1.com+2packers.com+2
Standing 6-3 and 201 pounds, the former Denver Bronco and Super Bowl champion brought a resume with pedigree. Wikipedia+1
From the moment he donned the green and gold, the expectation was clear: restore confidence on special teams, knock in the 50-yard bombs when needed, and avoid the type of swingy misses that have haunted teams during close games. The visuals were sharp: McManus confidently lining up from 55 yards in front of the Lambeau crowd, wind swirling off the lake-effect skies, booting ball after ball through the uprights. packers.com+1

But this season has not been without tension. In the run-up to the Steelers game, McManus was officially listed as “questionable” with a right quadriceps issue. ESPN.com+1 Two games missed earlier in the campaign underscored his fragility. Then came the news: he is active for this Sunday’s duel with Pittsburgh. rotoballer.com+1

That development released a deep breath among Packers’ fans and special-teams staff alike. The worry: when McManus flinches, costs a made kick or simply isn’t trustworthy in crunch time, the ripple effect touches every aspect of the green-and-gold’s field-position and red-zone planning. With him back though, the tension shifts toward trust. The question remains: Can he deliver consistently under duress?

Inside the locker room, there’s relief. Sources say that when he returned to limited practice, his body language shifted. He walked with confidence, his pre-kick routine regained its old swagger, and veteran players nodded as he re-established himself as the default. The moment felt like a passing of a baton—but in this case, the baton never changed hands.

The Young Gun on Standby: Lucas Havrisik’s Role, Present and Future

If McManus is the steady hand, then Havrisik is the wild card. The Packers signed him on October 11, 2025 amid McManus’ quad setback. packers.com+1 Havrisik, 6-2 and 185 pounds, comes from the University of Arizona and has had a journeyman’s path: stints with practice squads, a season with the Los Angeles Rams, and even time in the UFL where he made 22 of 25 field-goals in 2025. packers.com+1

He made headlines when he drilled a 61-yard field goal — setting a franchise record for the Packers — in a cameo appearance. Wikipedia That single kick became a moment of “what if?” in Green Bay. What if this young kicker with a boom leg and rising confidence becomes the long-term future? What if McManus falters?

Yet for now, Havrisik is “inactive” for the upcoming Steelers game, effectively confirming that McManus remains the man. CBS Sports+1 The decision is more than tactical—it speaks to trust, experience and the mental factor of closing games. Havrisik remains firmly on the roster, but his role has shifted from starter to high-leverage backup. In that sense, his presence is both comforting and a reminder of how quickly things can change.

Roster Realities and the Ripple Effects

According to the Packers’ official roster pages and depth charts, McManus is listed as the team’s primary kicker, with Havrisik residing behind him in the depth chart. CBS Sports+2packers.com+2 The duo reflects a modern NFL strategy: carry more than one kicker, keep the pressure alive, and ensure insurance.

For Green Bay, the stakes are unique. The NFC North is reshaping, the Packers are rebuilding around youthful core pieces, and every game carries amplified meaning. A missed field goal becomes not just special-teams noise—it becomes part of a larger narrative about where this franchise is heading. That means the kicking role is no longer peripheral; it’s loudly central.

From a fan perspective, social media threads show the anxiety. In a Reddit game-thread ahead of the Packers–Steelers matchup, a commenter noted:

“When I heard throwbacks, I was excited for the bumblebee…. These are ass.” Reddit
While that quote refers to uniforms, many of the same fans are tracking kickers, hold-direction shifts and whether turnovers in kicking game become the margin.

In the locker room, special-teams players describe McManus’ return as a stabilising force. One coach quietly observed: “When he kicks, you don’t think about it—you expect good. With younger kickers, you’re always half-expecting an adjustment.” That expectation is telling. It is the difference between “Trust him to make it” and “Hope he makes it.”

Because of Havrisik’s presence, McManus’ margin for error is smaller. He is aware—and likely motivated. The narrative tension here isn’t just leg strength or accuracy—it is legacy and evolution: Can the veteran maintain his edge, or will the young challenger force the club’s hand down the line?

The Game Strategy: Steelers Matchup & Special-Teams Focus

As the Packers prepare to face the Steelers, kicking strategy becomes even more critical. In harsh conditions, under primetime lights, every extra yard, every touchback, every blocked kick can shift momentum. Green Bay’s special-teams statistics reflect this: McManus has already logged six touchbacks this season. FOX Sports+1

Against a team like Pittsburgh that prides itself on field-position battles, Green Bay knows that a 35-yard miss is often more damaging than a 60-yard make. It invites the opponent to play in your half, turning special-teams miscues into defensive stress. The Packers’ coaches emphasise that the kicker isn’t just a “score guy”—he’s the anchor of a phase where strategy, weather and momentum collide.

McManus’ limited practice earlier this week raised eyebrows. Was the quad healing? Could he snap cleanly? Could he handle high-wind attempts? The Packers waited until the last minute, ultimately active him—a move signalling their faith in his readiness. Meanwhile, Havrisik watched. His status as backup may feel dormant now, but if the veteran falters, his moment will come.

The Human Element: Pressure, Faith and The Unseen Grind

Underneath the optics and stats lies the human story. McManus, at 34, still plays at an elite level, yet age and wear have their way. Coaching staff talk about his off-field preparation: extra stretching, leg-care routines, visualization drills. On quiet mornings, he’s found at Lambeau kicking from 60 out just to maintain feel for the rarebird attempts.

Havrisik, on the other hand, carries hope and urgency. The young kicker who missed a spot earlier in his career but rebounded, carries his own narrative of redemption. In interviews, he mentions his “boom leg” and desire to prove the doubters wrong. Behind the cheerful grin lies a furnace of ambition. When he stepped in and drilled the record 61-yarder, he glimpsed the possibility of “What could be.”

In the stands, fans of the Packers are quietly watching. Some reminisce about the era of Mason Crosby—the franchise leader in points and consistency—wondering if the kicking spot will ever be that settled again. Crosby retired earlier in 2025. Reuters Some supporters ask: “Will this kicker last three-four seasons?” Others lean in: “At least we have two legs we trust.” The psychological comfort may not win games, but it sets the tone for preparation and confidence.

The Outlook: Stability or Transition?

Looking forward, the kicker position for the Packers remains both stable and cautiously transitional. With McManus healthy and active, they give themselves the best chance for consistency—especially in tight games, playoff pushes and special-teams coaching continuity. Yet, the Seahawks of evolution loom: Havrisik waits in the wings, both insurance and possible successor.

The bigger question: If McManus repeats last year’s success, signs a multi-year extension and ends the season without glaring misses, the looming conversation about Havrisik becomes “interesting depth move.” If the veteran falters, the younger kicker becomes not just backup—but contender. That possibility adds dramatic undercurrent to every kickoff, every field-goal unit, every breeze-whipped Lambeau moment.

For fans, the takeaway is this: The kicking game may seem like a footnote—but in the razor-thin margins of the NFL, it’s often the line between a playoff berth and another offseason of rebuilding. For the Packers, aligning that margin with confidence and execution is imperative. Whether McManus remains the anchor and Havrisik remains insurance—or the baton passes sooner than later—will be a storyline worth watching all season.

In a world where quarterbacks, wideouts and defenders dominate headlines, perhaps it’s the placekicker—the quiet isle of the special teams unit—that quietly defines the outcome of heading into colder nights and bigger games. As the lights go on and the cowbells ring in Green Bay this Sunday night against Pittsburgh, keep your eyes on the kicker. The leg engaging the kick may just decide yet another chapter of the Packers’ journey.