Colts' Vinatieri not looking to retire 'anytime soon'

Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri, 45, has no plans to hang up his cleats.

"I love it as much today as I had when I started 23 years ago," Vinatieri, the oldest player in the NFL, told Andrew Walker of Colts.com. "I'm not looking to hang them up anytime soon, unless something happens that needs to be that way."

The veteran is entering his 13th year with Indianapolis. It's the final year of his contract, but he's content with taking things year by year and is excited with the direction the Colts are headed.

"We have a lot of things that can make this team successful and I look at this as a team that can make the playoffs moving forward," Vinatieri said. "And that was a big decision for me. ...

"I wanted to play for a team that can win and I feel like Chris Ballard and hiring Frank (Reich), I talked to Frank a little bit as well, I think these two gentlemen can definitely turn this organization around."

Vinatieri could become the NFL's all-time leader in career field goals and points scored in 2018, and he needs just five regular-season wins to pass George Blanda (209) for the most in league history, but the future Hall of Famer is more focused on competing for a fifth Super Bowl.

"Obviously this all-time leading scorer thing I knew was out there and I thought, 'Man, if I stay healthy, I would like to reach that goal,'" Vinatieri said. "But for me, like I said before, more importantly, if our team is a team that is a contender to continue to make playoffs and have a chance to play in another Super Bowl and stuff, that is a huge, huge driving factor for me."

Vinatieri converted 29-of-34 field-goal attempts (85.3 percent) last season, earning AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for a record 17th time in a Week 5 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.