Packers Rookie Kicker Trey Smack Stars In Preseason Debut

For many football players, the cliché goes that everything changes when the pads go on in training camp. For kickers, however, it’s what you do in games, not in practices, that is what matters. If that’s the case, Trey Smack might be just fine.

The Green Bay Packers rookie has had an up-and-down spring and summer so far, with a few high-profile misses and rough days in practice. However, in the Packers’ preseason debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night, Smack showed why the team traded up to select him in the 6th round of this spring’s NFL Draft.

All Smack did was hit every single kick he attempted, as he went 4-for-4 on the night (though one did not end up officially counting due to a penalty on old friend Dean Lowry that gave the Packers a new set of downs). It wasn’t just a perfect night, either — two of those kicks came from 58 yards, they went in opposite directions, and they came at Acrisure Stadium, a notoriously difficult field for kickers.

In short, it was everything one could hope for from a rookie kicker’s debut.

Sure, the Packers lost the game 28-9. But that’s not important. Smack’s performance absolutely is, as was the job that the starters did in their brief playing time last night and the avoidance of any major injuries. By those metrics, Thursday’s game was a success.

Game recap: 5 takeaways from Packers’ preseason loss to Steelers | Packers.com
The starters played one series each on offense and defense and they looked solid, with a field goal on the opening drive and a three-and-out defensively. Later, Kyle McCord showed some poise in a few tough situations with the 3rd team offense.

Rookie Trey Smack provides ‘highlight of the night’ for Packers in preseason opener | Packers Wire
Of course, it was Smack who had the biggest performance of the night, hitting four field goals including two from 58 yards (though only one of those two officially counted due to a penalty on Pittsburgh). Seeing him turn it on and excel under pressure is a great sign amid some mixed results in practice so far.

Packers Crushed by Steelers, But Here Are the Three Things That Mattered | SI.com
Yes, the reserves on defense looked completely lost as they gave up three touchdowns late, but the performance by the starters in that opening three-and-out was great. It also helped that Lukas Van Ness contributed a big pressure that led to a sack by Zaire Franklin.

2026 NFL Preseason, Week 1: What We Learned from Thursday’s games | NFL.com
Even the national narrative coming out of this game was about Smack’s excellent performance.

High school football player in Arkansas practices with a venomous snake in his helmet | AP.com
Always check your helmet before putting it on — you never know who might have been using it.

Packers News in the Feed

This is encouraging news. Anthony Campbell and Darian Kinnard were the only two notable injuries in Thursday’s game, but at least Campbell is not expected to miss any significant time. Surely that’s a big relief for him as he tries to earn a spot on the 53.

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