Punt Pass And Kick Champion Anna Grant Invited To AFC Championship Game

It should have been one of the proudest moments in Anna Grant's young life.

The 14-year-old won her age group in her division of the annual Punt, Pass and Kick competition, clinching it with her performance during halftime of last week's AFC divisional playoff game at Indianapolis.

When Grant and the other winners were recognized before the fourth quarter of the Colts-San Diego game, she was the only one booed by the fans - mainly because Grant, like the other contestants, was wearing the jersey of her hometown team.

In her case, it was the Patriots, and Colts fans acted predictably, if not classy. After hearing about the incident, Patriots owner Robert Kraft not only invited Grant and her family to the AFC championship game Sunday, but will be at midfield to participate in the pregame coin flip.

"Why should a champion be booed?" Kraft told the Associated Press. "She won an intensive competition. She's supposed to be honored. We will recognize her as the winner on the field. Our fans will know."

Grant, a resident of Stratham, N.H., was prepared for the rude reception she received.

"Before I went down there, my friends said, 'You know, you'll probably get booed,'" she said. "I was kind of waiting for it.

"It really didn't bother me at all. People at the game came up to me afterward and said, 'It's not you. It's your jersey.'"

"In a way, the fact that this young lady was booed is a compliment to the New England Patriots fans because we're relevant," Kraft said. "And, we're good."

Andrew Beck, The Punt, Pass & Kick Champion from Harker Heights, was featured on the local news and had a pretty fun first day back, as he was noticed all over his school,But by far, the story of this event was how Colts fans responded to Anna Grant's jersey.

Take A Look at the news report below, and you can tell she took it in stride. Congrats to her and her family, as they get to see the Patriots Play the Chargers in Sunday's AFC Championship Game.


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