By Brian Gertler
ST. LOUIS, Missouri (January 9, 2025) – Closing out the 2024 year, the UFL announced that Battlehawks kicker Andre Szmyt signed with the Cleveland Browns practice squad after a rough year with the team, dealing with roster moves at the position. With Szmyt’s contract being terminated, the rumor mill began to churn across the league about who would be next in line to fill the vacancy in St. Louis. Former Battlehawks kicker Taylor Russolino tweeted out on January 6th a public request to rejoin the St. Louis squad, spurring rumors of a potential reunion.
However, in a surprise twist, the Battlehawks announced yesterday the signing of former NFL kicker and social media star Rodrigo Blankenship.
If you’re not familiar with Blankenship’s work, both on and off the field, here are three reasons you should be excited about his place on the roster:
- Unabashedly a Nerd
At first glance, you might not immediately think of Blankenship as a “former NFL star.” His skinny frame, thick-framed glasses, and scruffy facial hair give off the vibe of a video game or Star Wars enthusiast rather than a professional football player. However, both assumptions would be correct in this case. A short internet search on Rodrigo will quickly reveal his collection of Legos and Transformers, as well as his passion for sneakers. In fact, a good portion of his social media content revolves around Lego building and collecting. Check out his YouTube channel here:
(Beyond the Brick / Youtube 2021)
- Insanely Talented
In Rodrigo’s rookie NFL season with the Indianapolis Colts, he finished 5th in the league for total points. At the University of Georgia, he broke the Rose Bowl record for longest field goal (55 yards), never missed a single extra point (200/200), and in 2019 won the Lou Groza Award for the nation’s best college placekicker. After dealing with injuries in his second NFL season and mishaps in the few opportunities given to him afterward, Blankenship struggled to regain his rookie consistency and seemed to become a one-hit wonder in the NFL. However, this hasn’t stopped Blankenship from continuing to hone his craft and fight for a spot on a roster. Here is one of his many recent offseason training videos where he demonstrates his workouts and exercises, focusing on NFL-style kickoffs:

- Embodies the UFL Montra of the “Second Chance” League
It’s clear from Blankenship’s social media posts that his ultimate goal is to regain a position on an NFL squad. After recovering from injuries and dealing with a lack of new film, it’s difficult to get solid reps in game-day scenarios to share with teams. As NFL doors begin to close for a veteran like Blankenship, it’s tempting to turn to a league like the UFL, where star kickers like Brandon Aubrey of the Dallas Cowboys and Jake Bates of the Detroit Lions gained the attention of NFL front offices and have had tremendous success. With the placekicker position being one of the most successful (other than quarterback) in securing NFL contracts after the spring football season concludes, it’s a no-brainer for someone like Blankenship to pursue a contract with a team like the Battlehawks. Here is the new Battlehawks kicker’s take on the opportunity the UFL has to offer:
Rodrigo Blankenship’s signing with the Battlehawks brings both talent and personality to the team, adding excitement for fans and a fresh opportunity for the kicker to revitalize his career. As Blankenship takes the field in St. Louis, fans can look forward to his contributions, both on and off the field, as he continues to chase his NFL dreams.
Featured photo by *https://twitter.com/RodTheKicker3/status/1475221182890840069/photo/1*