Blake Grupe didn’t stay unemployed for long after the New Orleans Saints let him go-and he didn’t waste any time weighing in on his former team, either.
Now with the Indianapolis Colts, Grupe finds himself in a dramatically different situation. The Saints are out of the playoff picture, while the Colts are very much in the thick of it, sitting atop the AFC South and eyeing a postseason run.
That contrast wasn’t lost on Grupe, who told reporters, *“It feels good to be a part of (the Colts) and feel like I'm playing meaningful football. We’re all working towards something here.”
Whether he meant it as a jab or not, it landed like one.
Let’s be clear: Grupe’s not wrong in pointing out the difference in stakes. The Colts are playing December football that matters, while the Saints are already looking toward next year.
But the context around Grupe’s own journey complicates the narrative. He didn’t land in Indy via a trade or some high-profile signing.
He was cut-outright-by New Orleans due to performance. And not just middling performance, either.
Among kickers with at least 20 field goal attempts this season, Grupe ranks dead last in field goal percentage. Lower the threshold to 10 attempts, and he’s still second to last.
That’s a tough stat line to defend, no matter how you slice it. So while Grupe may be enjoying the view from a playoff-bound roster, he didn’t exactly kick down the door to get there.
Saints fans, for their part, aren’t exactly mourning the breakup. Grupe’s stint in New Orleans wasn’t memorable for the right reasons, and his departure didn’t spark much protest. So hearing him speak as though he escaped a sinking ship, rather than being tossed overboard, is bound to raise some eyebrows in Louisiana.
Still, there’s something deeper in Grupe’s comments that speaks to the state of the Saints right now. When he says, “We’re all working towards something here,” it’s not just about wins and losses-it’s about culture, direction, and purpose. And that’s where things get uncomfortable for New Orleans.
Because while the Saints are technically in a rebuilding phase, it’s fair to ask: rebuilding toward what? The team hasn’t shown a clear identity or long-term vision this season. The offense has sputtered, the coaching staff is under scrutiny, and the locker room doesn’t exactly radiate the kind of cohesion you see in playoff-caliber organizations.
Grupe might not have been the solution in New Orleans, but his comments unintentionally highlight a bigger issue. The Saints aren’t just losing games-they’re struggling to convince anyone, including former players, that the losses are part of a meaningful process.
So yes, Blake Grupe’s remarks may come off as ironic, given his own on-field struggles. But they also reflect a broader truth about where the Saints stand right now-and why players, even those with shaky stats, might feel like they’ve moved on to something better.