For the third time in the last 24 hours, a former Pitt Panther football player has been promoted to an NFL team’s 53-man roster.
Following punter Ryan Winslow with the Carolina Panthers and center Jimmy Morrissey with the Oakland Raiders, Chris Blewitt has made the big jump. This afternoon, the Washington Football Team released long-time kicker Dustin Hopkins and signed the former Panthers kicker from its practice squads to replace Hopkins.
Hopkins had been Washington’s kicker since 2015 but has been inconsistent this season, missing two field and a pair of extra points. On Sunday against Kansas City, Hopkins missed a 42-yard field goal wide left.
Blewitt’s persistence has finally paid off as he gets his first chance in the NFL. After spending some time with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers and Washington, the opportunity is now in front of him.
Blewitt was on Washington’s practice squad earlier this year but was released. However, after going through a tryout with the team on Tuesday, he was placed back on the practice squad and then promoted today following the move with Hopkins.
Blewitt finished his career as Pitt’s all-time kick scoring leader with 363 points (55-79 FGs, 198-204 PATs), eclipsing a record that stood for more than four decades. Blewitt also became the Panthers’ all-time leader in field goals (55), surpassing the prior record of 50 held by Conor Lee (2006-08), and extra points (198), eclipsing Long (133 from 1973-76).
It’s ironic that this news for Blewitt happens this week as he’ll always be remembered by Pitt fans for his dramatic 48-yard field with six seconds left to beat No. 2 Clemson, 43-42, back in 2016.
