GREEN BAY – Joining the Packers may not technically be a homecoming for Brayden Narveson, but it’s sure felt that way so far.
Prior to signing with Tennessee as an undrafted free agent in the spring, the Arizona-born Narveson had an interview with Green Bay assistant special teams coach Byron Storer during the lead-up to the 2024 NFL Draft.
Afterwards, the 24-year-old kicker relayed that conversation to his fiancée, Shelby Murphy. A native of Prescott, Wis., the future Mrs. Narveson was ecstatic over the prospects of her soon-to-be husband starting his NFL career in her home state.
“We were talking about how funny it would be if I ended up playing for the Packers one day,” Narveson said. “She was like, ‘Oh, my God, I don’t know what I would do.'”
Well, the couple found out last week when Green Bay claimed Narveson off waivers from the Titans. In four days, he’ll become the first undrafted rookie to kick for the Packers in a regular-season game since Ryan Longwell in 1997.
Brayden and Shelby married in July. Their honeymoon to Mexico is actually the reason the big-legged kicker has a passport for Friday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Prior to that, Narveson said he’d never been out of the country.
Narveson had a strong training camp in Tennessee and thought he might still end up on the Titans’ practice squad after he was cut last week. But the Packers called instead with a spot on their 53-man roster.
With it came a lot of jubilation.
“It was just a bunch of excitement,” Narveson said. “When I called and told (my wife) I got claimed by the Packers, she was like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’ She hung the phone up and called her parents immediately. So, she was probably more excited than I was but, obviously, very thankful for me, as well.”
Shelby was obviously elated upon finding out her husband was joining the Packers – not only because of the natural Wisconsin connections but also Narveson’s performance in the preseason.
After playing at four schools in six collegiate seasons, Narveson said the Titans were the only team to whom he’d spoken directly before the 2024 NFL Draft. Tennessee was committed to 39-year-old Nick Folk but was open to developing a younger kicker behind the 16-year veteran.
Handling most of the kicking in the preseason, the 6-foot, 215-pound kicker went 6-for-7 on field goals…
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