No. 40 – Milano Seamen | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Position: | Placekicker | ||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||
Born: | Milan, Italy | July 16, 1990||||||||||
Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||
Weight: | 182 lb (83 kg) | ||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||
High school: | Campolindo (Moraga, California) | ||||||||||
College: | California (2008–2011) | ||||||||||
Undrafted: | 2012 | ||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||
Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR |
Giorgio Tavecchio (born July 16, 1990), nicknamed "Italian Ice", [1] is a placekicker for the Milano Seamen of the European League of Football (ELF). He was born in Milan, Italy and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the San Francisco 49ers in 2012. [2] He played his collegiate career at the University of California, Berkeley.
Tavecchio's original plan was to attend UC Davis after they offered him a soccer scholarship. Because UC Davis was not also interested in him as a football placekicker, he considered other options. He then set up a workout at Cal but was only offered to be a walk-on. [3]
Tavecchio began attending Cal in 2008 and competed with David Seawright and Jordan Kay to be the team's placekicker. As a freshman, he split time with Seawright and converted all 25 extra point attempts and 9-of-13 field goal attempts. [4] [5] As a sophomore in 2009, he competed with Vincenzo D'Amato for the placekicking duties. With D'Amato handling a majority of the work, Tavecchio converted 14-of-15 extra point attempts and 8-of-12 field goal attempts. [6] [7] As a junior in 2010, he handled all of the placekicking duties and converted 37-of-39 extra point attempts and 11-of-16 field goal attempts. [8] [9] Throughout his first three seasons, he posted a 68% field goal percentage and was able to reach 75% after his senior year. In his final collegiate season in 2011, he continued to handle all placekicking duties and converted 36-of-42 extra point attempts and 20-of-23 field goal attempts. [10] [11] [12] In his senior season, he had his best statistical kicking performance against Arizona State in a 47–38 victory. In the win over the Sun Devils, he converted all five extra point attempts and all four field goal attempts. [13] His 20 field goals made in the 2011 season led the Pac-12 Conference. [14] During his time at Cal, he was a four-year starter. [15]
Season | Team | Conf | Class | Pos | GP | Kicking | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XPM | XPA | XP% | FGM | FGA | FG% | Pts | ||||||
2008 | California | Pac-10 | FR | K | 10 | 25 | 25 | 100.0 | 9 | 13 | 69.2 | 52 |
2009 | California | Pac-10 | SO | K | 11 | 14 | 14 | 100.0 | 8 | 12 | 66.7 | 38 |
2010 | California | Pac-10 | JR | K | 12 | 37 | 39 | 94.9 | 11 | 16 | 68.8 | 70 |
2011 | California | Pac-12 | SR | K | 13 | 36 | 42 | 85.7 | 20 | 23 | 87.0 | 96 |
Career | 46 | 112 | 120 | 93.3 | 48 | 64 | 75.0 | 256 |
Going into the draft, Tavecchio was not invited to the NFL Combine. During the California Golden Bears pro day, it began to rain before he was able to perform any drills. Tavecchio kept running his planned drills but was unable to showcase his talents since every NFL scout had gone into an indoor practice facility. [16] Tavecchio remained unsigned after going undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft. He then attended a tryout for the San Francisco 49ers at which he was the only kicker present. [17]
On August 29, 2012, Tavecchio signed a three-year, $1.44 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers. At the time, 49ers special teams coach, Brad Seely was looking for an additional kicker to eventually succeed long-time veteran David Akers. The left-footed Tavecchio was chosen because Akers was also left-footed and they could both use the same holder, instead of getting another holder for a right-footed kicker. [18]
After being waived by the San Francisco 49ers during the offseason, the Green Bay Packers signed him to a three-year, $1.48 million contract on March 26, 2013. [19]
Tavecchio was waived by the Packers on August 26, 2013. [20]
The Detroit Lions signed Tavecchio to a reserve/futures contract on January 1, 2014. [21] The Lions waived him on August 25, 2014. [22]
On August 27, 2014, the Oakland Raiders claimed Tavecchio off of waivers. [23] Three days later, he was waived by the team. [24]
On February 23, 2015, Tavecchio signed a contract to return to the Raiders. He was waived by the team on September 5, 2015. [25]
On January 5, 2016, the Raiders signed Tavecchio to a two-year, $990,000 reserve/futures contract. [26] On August 29, 2016, he was released by the Raiders. [27]
On April 19, 2017, Tavecchio again signed with the Raiders. [28] He was waived by team on September 2, 2017, and was later signed to the practice squad. [29] [30] He was promoted to the active roster on September 9, 2017, after longtime Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski was placed on the injured reserve list with a back injury. [31]
Tavecchio played his first game on September 10, 2017, where he scored four field goals on four attempts, including two 52-yard attempts, and two extra points on two attempts, providing over half the scoring in a 26–16 victory over the Tennessee Titans. [32] He became the first player to hit two 50-plus yard field goals on his debut in NFL history. Tavecchio's performance in Week 1 earned him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. [33] [34] [35] In the next game, a 45–20 victory over the New York Jets, he had a season-high six extra points converted to go along with a 29-yard field goal. [36] Overall, he finished the 2017 season with 33-of-34 extra point attempts converted to go along with 16-of-21 field goals converted in all 16 games. [37]
On August 3, 2018, Tavecchio was waived by the Raiders after the team signed veteran kicker Mike Nugent. [38]
On August 27, 2018, Tavecchio was signed by the Atlanta Falcons. [39] He was waived by the team on September 1, 2018. [40] He was re-signed by the team on October 10, 2018, after incumbent kicker Matt Bryant injured his hamstring after kicking a 57-yard field goal the previous week. [41] In Week 7, Tavecchio converted both extra point attempts and all three field goal tries, including a career long 56-yarder, in a 23–20 win over the New York Giants, earning him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. [42]
On August 31, 2019, he was waived by the Falcons after the team re-signed veteran kicker Matt Bryant. [43]
Tavecchio signed with the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL on March 4, 2020. [44] He had his contract terminated when the league suspended operations on April 10, 2020. [45]
On November 10, 2020, Tavecchio was signed to the Tennessee Titans practice squad. [46] He was released on November 24. [47]
On July 17, 2021, Tavecchio played his first match with the Barcelona Dragons (ELF) in the European League of Football. He converted one extra point attempt and three field goal attempts, including a 56-yarder. [48]
On April 3, 2023, Tavecchio signed with the Milano Seamen. [49]
Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 24 seasons with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Considered one of the greatest placekickers of all time, he is the NFL's all-time leading scorer at 2,673 points. He also holds the NFL records for field goals made (599), postseason points (238), and overtime field goals made (12).
Michael Nugent is a former American football placekicker. He played college football for Ohio State University, and was twice recognized as a consensus All-American. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft, and has also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, Oakland Raiders, and New England Patriots.
Joseph Thomas Nedney is a former American football placekicker. He played college football at San Jose State and signed as an undrafted player with the Miami Dolphins in 1996. Nedney played in the National Football League (NFL) for the San Francisco 49ers from 2005 to 2010 after having played for the Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, and Tennessee Titans.
Sebastian Paweł Janikowski is a Polish-born former American football kicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was selected 17th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft by the Raiders, where he spent all but one season of his professional career. During his final season he played for the Seattle Seahawks.
Steven Matt Bryant, nicknamed "Money Matt", is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Baylor Bears, and was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the AFL's Iowa Barnstormers in 2000. A Pro Bowler with the Falcons in 2016, he has also been a member of the New York Giants, Frankfurt Galaxy, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Florida Tuskers, and is among the most-accurate kickers in NFL history.
Jeff Todd Jaeger is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1980s and 1990s. Jaeger played college football for the Washington Huskies, earning All-American honors. In the NFL, he played for the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders and Chicago Bears.
Garrett Hartley is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2008. Later that year he became the placekicker for the New Orleans Saints, for whom he set an NFL record for most consecutive successful field goals to start a career, and then became the first kicker in NFL history to convert three field goals of more than 40 yards in the Super Bowl. His Saints won Super Bowl XLIV, beating the Indianapolis Colts. He played college football at Oklahoma.
Nicholas Alexander Folk is an American football placekicker for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Arizona, where he received first-team All-Pacific-10 honors, and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. Folk was named to the 2008 Pro Bowl as a rookie with the Cowboys before playing his next seven seasons with the New York Jets and becoming the franchise's second-leading scorer. Following an unsuccessful stint on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Folk spent a year away from football before pursuing a comeback in 2019 with the Arizona Hotshots of the Alliance of American Football (AAF). Folk returned to the NFL the same year as a member of the New England Patriots and led the league in scoring during the 2021 season. He joined the Titans in 2023.
Ryan Barrow Succop is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He last played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). Succop played college football at South Carolina and was the 2009 Mr. Irrelevant by virtue of being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the final pick of the 2009 NFL Draft. Succop was the Buccaneers starting placekicker in their 31–9 victory over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, becoming the first Mr. Irrelevant to play and win a Super Bowl as a starter and an active player.
Gregory Zuerlein, nicknamed "Greg the Leg" and "Legatron", is an American football placekicker for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, he played college football at Nebraska-Omaha and Missouri Western. He previously played for the St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams and the Dallas Cowboys.
Cairo Fernandes Santos is a Brazilian professional American football placekicker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Tulane, and was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2014. Santos has also played for the Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Tennessee Titans.
Brandon Tyler McManus is an American football placekicker for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of the Denver Broncos and their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and he was the last remaining member of the Super Bowl 50 team on the Broncos' roster. He played college football at Temple and was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2013. McManus has also been a member of the New York Giants.
Nick Rose is an American football placekicker who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Texas and was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2016.
Michael Albert Palardy is an American football punter who is a free agent. He played college football at Tennessee and was signed by the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He has also been a member of the St. Louis Rams, Toronto Argonauts, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, and Carolina Panthers.
Holden Fortunato "Zane" Gonzalez is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He played college football at Arizona State University and was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Gonzalez holds the NCAA Division I record for field goals made in a career. He was a unanimous All-American in 2016. He was awarded the Lou Groza Award in 2016.
Daniel Vilhelm Carlson is an American football placekicker for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Auburn, where he became the SEC's all-time leading scorer and was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Released by Minnesota during his rookie season, Carlson joined the Raiders and has twice led the league in scoring. He is currently the fifth most accurate kicker in the NFL.
Matthew McCrane is an American football placekicker for the DC Defenders of the XFL. He played college football at Kansas State University. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He has also played for the Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Guardians, and Cleveland Browns.
Austin Seibert is an American football placekicker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma and was selected in fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.
Matthew Wright is an American football placekicker for the New England Patriots. Wright is known for breaking the Jacksonville Jaguars' 20-game losing streak, when he scored two fourth quarter field goals, including a game-winning 53 yarder in an NFL International Series game against the Miami Dolphins in London. Wright played college football at UCF where he was a member of the undefeated 2017 team that was selected as National Champions by the Colley Matrix.
Cade York is an American football placekicker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers, and selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.