Patriots kicker Andy Borregales found himself in familiar territory Sunday: the former Miami Hurricanes standout was back at Hard Rock Stadium to attempt a field goal for the New England Patriots, with whom he is playing his second NFL season.
However, the kick—his second attempt of the afternoon—was no good. Torrential downpours tested Miami’s sophisticated drainage system leading up to the 4:25 p.m. kickoff. Conditions were far from ideal for anyone on the field, but at that point in the second quarter, Miami held a 6–3 lead.
The missed kick prompted questions for head coach Mike Vrabel on Monday. The attempt represented a missed opportunity for points in a game where the Patriots’ offense was decimated by injuries, and it marked Borregales’ third missed field goal in eight games.
“That needs to get corrected,” Vrabel said. “I’ve got a lot of confidence in Andy. I think when you see the timing and when the approach is in rhythm, it looks really good. We have to make our kicks. Everybody has a job here. There’s no real message. It’s, ‘Hey, we’ve got to make them.’ But I’ve got a lot of confidence.”
Vrabel praised Borregales’ kickoff placement and noted he would prefer his kicker be put in position for extra points rather than field goals (Borregales is 20-of-21 on PATs).
League numbers suggest, however, that Borregales is performing below the league standard on field goals. He ranks 23rd out of 32 qualified kickers with a field goal percentage of 76.9%, compared to the league average of 83.3%. His longest conversion this season came from 50 yards, and he has struggled most from the 40-to-49-yard range, going 3-for-5. Through eight games, he has accounted for 50 total points via field goals and extra points.
Borregales was a sixth-round pick in 2025, the Patriots' first draft after Vrabel took over as head coach. Last season, he ranked 19th in the NFL with an 84.4% field goal percentage, slightly under the league average of 85.6%. Just as he has this year, he struggled most from 40 to 49 yards out, converting 7 of 11 attempts. He scored 134 total points during that rookie regular season.
In the postseason, Borregales faced brutal weather conditions in Denver, where he went 1-for-3 on field goal attempts. That outing dropped his playoff conversion rate to 66.7%, well below the postseason league average of 86.5%.
Context matters when evaluating Borregales’ numbers. A miscue by any member of the field-goal unit can disrupt the play, yet the kicker almost always shoulders the blame. He also has a signature game-winner on his résumé from last October, when he nailed a 52-yarder at Highmark Stadium to seal a pivotal Week 4 victory over the Buffalo Bills.
The Patriots have not brought in competition for Borregales since the summer of 2025, when John Parker Romo competed in training camp before failing to make the 53-man roster.
Given that Borregales is still early in his NFL career, it's probably too soon to conclude whether he's cut out for this role longterm. But with injuries mounting across the Patriots’ offense, any missed points loom large.
