Zane Gonzalez

Last updated

Zane Gonzalez
Zane Gonzalez 2021.jpg
Gonzalez with the Panthers in 2021
Personal information
Born: (1995-05-07) May 7, 1995 (age 28)
Deer Park, Texas, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school: Deer Park (TX)
College: Arizona State (2013–2016)
Position: Placekicker
NFL draft: 2017  / Round: 7 / Pick: 224
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Field goals:91
Field goals attempted:113
Field goal %:80.5
Long field goal:57
Touchbacks:166
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Holden Fortunato "Zane" Gonzalez (born May 7, 1995) 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. [1] [2] He was a unanimous All-American in 2016. [3] He was awarded the Lou Groza Award in 2016. [4]

Contents

College career

Arizona State University (ASU) signed Gonzalez on March 28, 2013. [5] He played college football for the Sun Devils from 2013 to 2016.

During his freshman year in 2013, Gonzalez played every game, connecting on 25 of 30 (83.3%) field goals and converting all 63 extra point attempts. [6] Gonzalez had a streak of 18 field goals converted, an ASU freshman record. [7] He was awarded with a First Team All-Pac-12 Conference selection. [8] Gonzalez broke the ASU record for points by a kicker with 138 on the season and tying the NCAA record for field goals made by a freshman. [9]

During his sophomore year in 2014, Gonzalez connected on 22 of 27 (81.5%) field goals and was 50–52 on extra points. [10] Gonzalez was awarded with a Second-Team All-Pac-12 selection. [11] On October 18, he matched a then-career-high with four field goals against Stanford. [12] On November 11, Gonzalez kicked four field goals including a game-winning field goal in overtime against Utah. [13] He was named the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week. [14] On December 27, Gonzalez kicked three field goals in the 2014 Sun Bowl. [15]

During his junior season in 2015, Gonzalez scored on 26 of 34 (76.5) field goals and converted all 52 extra point attempts. On November 28, Gonzalez matched the Pac-12 record with an ASU school-record six field goals against California. On January 2, 2016, he kicked four field goals against West Virginia in the 2016 Cactus Bowl. [16] He became the school's all-time scoring leader in the third quarter, surpassing Luis Zendejas (380). [17]

During his senior year in 2016, Gonzalez recorded 23-of-25 (92.0%) field goals and only missed one of 40 extra-point attempts. On September 16, Gonzalez kicked four field goals against UTSA. [18] He is the first Sun Devil in history to kick more than one 50-yarder in a game. [19] With his second field goal of the night early in the second quarter, Zane Gonzalez broke the Pac-12 record for points scored in a career with his 416th. [19] He was named the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week. [18] On September 24, Gonzalez kicked three field goals and six extra points against California. [20] With his three field goals, Gonzalez moved into 4th in NCAA history for career field goals at 84. [21] Gonzalez's first field goal of the night broke the school record for career-made field goals. [22] He was named the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week. [21] On October 8, he kicked three field goals against UCLA. [23] Gonzalez broke the NCAA career field goals made record with his 89th career field goal in the fourth quarter. [24] He was named the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week for the third time. [24] On October 15, he kicked three field goals against Colorado. [25] He holds the record for career points by a kicker with 468, passing FSU’s Dustin Hopkins (466). [24] He also tied the NCAA record for most 50+ yard field goals in a game with three. [24] He was named to his fourth Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week, becoming the second player ever to do this, joining California kicker Doug Brien. [24] On December 8, he was awarded the Lou Groza Award, becoming the second player in ASU history, joining Thomas Weber (2007). [4] On December 12, he was named a unanimous All-American, becoming the third in school history and the first since Terrell Suggs earned the honor in 2002. [3]

In the 2017 Senior Bowl, Gonzalez kicked three field goals, tying a record held since 1985. [26]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span
6 ft 0+12 in
(1.84 m)
202 lb
(92 kg)
29+12 in
(0.75 m)
9 in
(0.23 m)
All values from NFL Combine [27]

Cleveland Browns

2017 season

The Cleveland Browns selected Gonzalez in the seventh round (224th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft. [28] On May 16, 2017, the Browns signed him to a four-year, $2.48 million contract with a signing bonus of $89,156. [29] [30] [31] Gonzalez competed with incumbent kicker Cody Parkey for the starting job during Cleveland's 2017 training camp. The Browns decided on Gonzalez as their kicker for the season on September 1, 2017. [32]

On September 10, 2017, in the season-opening 21–18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Gonzalez recorded his first career extra point and field goal, a 24-yard attempt. [33] On October 22, 2017, in a Week 7 12–9 loss to the Tennessee Titans, he scored all nine points on three field goals, including a career-long of 54 yards. [34] Overall, in the 2017 season, he converted 25 of 26 extra point attempts and 15 of 20 field goal attempts. [35]

2018 season

In Week 1, in the 21–21 tie against the Steelers, Gonzalez had a game-winning 43-yard attempt blocked in overtime that would have given the Browns the win. [36] On September 16, in a Week 2 21–18 loss to the New Orleans Saints, Gonzalez missed two field goals and two extra points, including a PAT that would have given the Browns a 19–18 lead. He concluded the game by missing a 52-yard field goal with 3 seconds left, sealing the loss. [37] He was waived by the Browns the following day, September 17. [38]

Arizona Cardinals

On November 20, 2018, Gonzalez was signed to the practice squad of the Arizona Cardinals. [39] He was promoted to the active roster on November 26, 2018, following an injury to Phil Dawson. [40]

On December 2, 2018, in a Week 13 20–17 win against the Green Bay Packers, Gonzalez recorded two field goals and extra points which included the 44-yard go-ahead field goal that eventually gave the Cardinals the win. [41]

Gonzalez re-signed with the Cardinals on April 23, 2020. [42] He was placed on injured reserve on December 19, 2020. [43] Gonzalez was released on March 5, 2021. [44]

Detroit Lions

Gonzalez signed with the Detroit Lions on August 10, 2021. [45] He was waived on August 31, 2021, and re-signed to the practice squad the next day. [46] [47]

Carolina Panthers

On September 14, 2021, Gonzalez was signed by the Carolina Panthers off the Lions practice squad. [48] In Week 8, Gonzalez converted all four of his field goal attempts and accounted for 13 points in the Panthers 19–13 win over the Atlanta Falcons, earning National Football Conference (NFC) Special Teams Player of the Week. [49] In Week 10, Gonzalez had another perfect game, converting all four field goals in a 34–10 win over the Cardinals, earning another NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honor. [50] In Week 15's matchup against the Buffalo Bills, Gonzalez suffered a quad injury in warm-ups, and had to be placed on injured reserve after the game, ending his season. [51]

On March 9, 2022, Gonzalez signed a one-year contract extension with the Panthers. [52] On August 30, 2022, Gonzalez was placed on injured reserve after injuring his quad during the last preseason game while warming up and missed the entire season. [53]

San Francisco 49ers

On March 24, 2023, the Panthers traded Gonzalez to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a conditional swap of late-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. [54] [55] He was placed on injured reserve on August 29. He was released from injured reserve with an injury settlement on September 5. [56]

Personal life

Gonzalez goes by the name Zane as a result of his father, Joseph, discovering the name in the movie Maverick, where James Garner's character was named Zane. [57]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Akers</span> American football player (born 1974)

David Roy Akers is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. He began his career in 1998 with the Washington Redskins after not making the main roster of the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers. The following year, he signed with the Eagles, where he spent 12 seasons. Akers was also a member of the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions before retiring in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Nugent</span> American football player (born 1982)


Michael Nugent is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he won the Lou Groza Award in 2004, and was twice recognized as a consensus All-American. He was selected by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2005 NFL draft, and also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Arizona Cardinals, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Dallas Cowboys, the Chicago Bears, the Oakland Raiders, and the New England Patriots during his 16-year career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Nedney</span> American football player and coach (born 1973)

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Dawson</span> American football player (born 1975)

Philip Drury Dawson is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He primarily played for the Cleveland Browns from 1999 to 2012, and has the second-most field goals made for their franchise, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns. He also played in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers from 2013 to 2016, and the Arizona Cardinals in 2017 and 2018. He signed a contract in 2019 to retire as a member of the Browns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Cundiff</span> American football player (born 1980)

William Ambrose Cundiff is a former American football placekicker. He played college football for Drake University, and was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Lee (American football)</span> American football player (born 1982)

Andrew Paul Lee is an American football punter who is a free agent. He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers, and was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 2004 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robbie Gould</span> American football player (born 1982)

Robert Paul Gould III is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker for 18 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Chicago Bears. He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions. Gould was originally signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played with the Bears from 2005 to 2015, earning first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2006, and became the franchise's all-time leading scorer. Gould also played for the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers.

Steven Bernard Wilks is an American football coach and former player. He last served as the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. He served as the head coach for the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. He has also served as defensive backs coach for the Chicago Bears and San Diego Chargers, as well as the defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns and Missouri. He played college football at Appalachian State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dustin Hopkins</span> American football player (born 1990)

Dustin Hopkins is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Bailey (American football)</span> American football player (born 1988)

Dan Bailey is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). Bailey grew up in the Oklahoma City area and played college football for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Following the 2011 NFL Draft, Bailey signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent. He spent seven years in Dallas, where he became the franchise's all-time leader in field goals made. He played for the Minnesota Vikings from 2018 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Tucker</span> American football player (born 1989)

Justin Paul Tucker is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Texas and was signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2012. Regarded as one of the greatest placekickers of all time, Tucker is the most accurate kicker in NFL history at 90.2 percent and holds the record for the longest successful NFL field goal at 66 yards. Tucker has also been named to seven Pro Bowls and five first-team All-Pros, and was a member of the Ravens team that won Super Bowl XLVII.

The 2013 Arizona State Sun Devils football team represented Arizona State University in the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by second-year coach Todd Graham and played their home games at Sun Devil Stadium. They were a member of the South Division of the Pac-12 Conference. The Sun Devils had their best season since 2007, finishing 10–4 and earning a spot in the Pac–12 Championship Game. They also increased their win total and played in a bowl game for the third consecutive season. During the season, the team was featured on The Drive, a weekly documentary series on the Pac-12 Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brett Maher (American football)</span> American football player (born 1989)

Brett Maher is an American football placekicker for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Nebraska and was signed by the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL) as an undrafted free agent in 2013. Maher has also been a member of the Dallas Cowboys, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Ottawa Redblacks, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Cleveland Browns, Washington Commanders, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos, and Los Angeles Rams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chandler Catanzaro</span> American football player (born 1991)

Chandler Catanzaro is a former American football placekicker. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2014 and later played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets, and Carolina Panthers. He played college football at Clemson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D. J. Foster</span> American gridiron football player (born 1993)

Darryll James "D. J." Foster is a former gridiron football running back who is the manager of player development at Arizona State University, where he played college football. He signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He was a member of the Super Bowl LI winning Patriots, though was inactive for the game itself.

The 2017 season was the Cleveland Browns' 65th in the National Football League (NFL), their 69th overall, their second under head coach Hue Jackson and their second and final season under general manager Sashi Brown. The Browns failed to improve on their 1–15 record from the previous season, as they instead joined the 2008 Detroit Lions as the only teams in NFL history to finish a season 0–16 since the season was expanded to 16 games in 1978, and the last due to the NFL expanding its regular season schedule to 17 games in 2021. They extended a losing streak that began in the final game of the previous season. The Browns became the twelfth NFL team to have gone winless playing eight games or more and the fourth since the AFL–NFL merger in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Joseph</span> South African American football player (born 1994)

Greg Joseph is a South African-born American professional football placekicker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida Atlantic and signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2018. Later that year, Joseph made his NFL debut with the Cleveland Browns. He has also been a member of the Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Wright (American football)</span> American football player (born 1996)

Matthew Wright is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. 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.

Mitchell Fraboni is an American football long snapper for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Arizona State and went undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft. He was signed and released from the Houston Texans of the NFL in the 2021 offseason.

Lucas HavrisikHAVE-ruh-sick; is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Arizona.

References

  1. Bonagura, Kyle (October 6, 2016). "Zane Gonzalez breaks NCAA career record with 89th made field goal". ESPN. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  2. Morgan, Craig (October 8, 2016). "ASU kicker Zane Gonzalez breaks NCAA field goal record – Arizona Sports". Arizona Sports. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  3. 1 2 Haller, Doug (December 14, 2016). "ASU kicker Zane Gonzalez a unanimous All-American". AZCentral. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  4. 1 2 Haller, Doug (December 8, 2016). "ASU's Zane Gonzalez wins the Groza Award". azcentral. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  5. "Zane Gonzalez – 2012 Football Roster – TheSunDevils.com – Arizona State University Athletics". www.thesundevils.com.
  6. Haller, Doug (August 3, 2014). "ASU kicker Zane Gonzalez looks to regain his form". azcentral. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  7. Haller, Doug (December 7, 2013). "Stanford puts an end to ASU football's Rose Bowl chase". azcentral.com. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  8. White, Stu (December 2, 2013). "Ka'Deem Carey leads Pac-12 all-conference selections". FanSided. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  9. Hummer, Chris (October 14, 2016). "NFL.com 'game-changers' in the 2017 Draft". 247Sports. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  10. Connelly, Bill (August 19, 2015). "Arizona State's rebuild is over. Look out!". SBNation.com. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  11. Garcia, Jacob (October 2, 2014). "ASU Football: Sun Devils notch six all-conference selections". www.cronkitesports.com. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  12. Buchanan, Zach (October 18, 2014). "Rewind: ASU comes up big vs. Stanford". azcentral. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  13. Buchanan, Zach (November 2, 2014). "Mr. Dependable: Zane Gonzalez kicks ASU to victory". azcentral. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  14. "ASU kicker Zane Gonzalez named Pac-12 Special Teams Player of Week". Arizona Sports. November 3, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  15. "Arizona State Edges Duke, 36–31, at the 81st Hyundai Sun Bow". www.sunbowl.org. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  16. Shelton, Zach (January 3, 2016). "Cactus Bowl 2016: Game Grades, Analysis for West Virginia vs. Arizona State". Bleacher Report. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  17. Grialou, Craig (January 3, 2016). "Mountaineers out lasts Sun Devils". Arizona Sports. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  18. 1 2 Pelton, Connor (September 19, 2016). "ASU Football: Gonzalez named a Lou Groza 'Star of the Week'". House of Sparky. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  19. 1 2 "Hansen, Decoud, Gonzalez earn weekly Conference honors". Pac-12. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  20. Denny, Brad (September 25, 2016). "ASU rallies to top Cal 51–41, stays undefeated" . Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  21. 1 2 "Montez, Thomas, Gonzalez earn weekly Conference honors". Pac-12. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  22. Pelton, Connor. "ASU Football: Zane Gonzalez breaks school record for made field goals". House of Sparky. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  23. Salgado, Gabe (October 14, 2016). "ASU kicker Zane Gonzalez enjoying best season in a record-breaking NCAA career". Fox News. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 "Lindsay, Thomas, Gonzalez earn weekly Conference honors". Pac-12. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  25. Haller, Doug (October 15, 2016). "No. 24 ASU bullied in blowout loss at Colorado". azcentral. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  26. Cole, Chris (January 28, 2017). "Zane Gonzalez ties Senior Bowl record with 3 field goals". azcentral. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  27. "NFL Draft Profile: Zane Gonzalez". nfl.com. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  28. Gribble, Andrew (April 29, 2017). "Browns select Arizona State K Zane Gonzalez with No. 224 pick in 2017 NFL Draft". ClevelandBrowns.com. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
  29. "Spotrac.com: Zane Gonzalez contract". spotrac.com. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  30. "Zane Gonzalez". OvertheCap.com. 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  31. Labbe, Dan (May 17, 2017). "Browns sign kicker Zane Gonzalez to rookie contract". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  32. Cabot, Mary Kay (September 2, 2017). "Zane Gonzalez has won the Cleveland Browns kicking job over Cody Parkey". Cleveland.com. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  33. "Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns – September 10th, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  34. "Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns - October 22nd, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  35. "Zane Gonzalez 2017 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  36. "Browns' Zane Gonzalez: Misses crucial field goal". CBSSports.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  37. "Saints avoid disaster with first victory, keep Browns waiting". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  38. Labbe, Dan (September 17, 2018). "Browns sign kicker Greg Joseph". cleveland.com. The Plain Dealer. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  39. Urban, Darren (November 20, 2018). "Cardinals Cut Jamar Taylor, Add Zane Gonzalez To Practice Squad". AZCardinals.com. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  40. Urban, Darren (November 26, 2018). "Cardinals Cut Andre Smith, Bené Benwikere; Put Phil Dawson, Josh Bynes on IR". AZCardinals.com. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  41. "Arizona Cardinals at Green Bay Packers - December 2nd, 2018". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  42. Urban, Darren (April 23, 2020). "Zane Gonzalez Signs Restricted Free Agent Tender Offer". AZCardinals.com. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  43. Urban, Darren (December 19, 2020). "Cardinals Place Zane Gonzalez, Jordan Phillips On IR; Sign D.J. Foster". AZCardinals.com.
  44. Urban, Darren (March 5, 2021). "Zane Gonzalez Released Ahead Of Free Agency". AZCardinals.com. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  45. Schlitt, Erik (August 10, 2021). "Lions sign kicker Zane Gonzalez, waive Matthew Wright". Pride of Detroit. SB Nation. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  46. "Lions announce roster moves". DetroitLions.com. August 31, 2021.
  47. "Lions announce roster moves". DetroitLions.com. September 1, 2021.
  48. "Panthers make a change at kicker". Panthers.com. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  49. Gordon, Grant (November 3, 2021). "Jets QB Mike White, 49ers WR Deebo Samuel among NFL Players of the Week". NFL.com.
  50. Gordon, Grant (November 17, 2021). "Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, 49ers WR Deebo Samuel highlight Players of the Week". NFL.com.
  51. "Panthers place Zane Gonzalez on injured reserve". Panthers.com. December 22, 2021.
  52. Gantt, Darin (March 9, 2022). "Panthers extend kicker Zane Gonzalez". Panthers.com.
  53. Alper, Josh (August 30, 2022). "Zane Gonzalez goes on IR, Panthers announce final cuts". nbcsports.com.
  54. "49ers Announce Trade for Kicker Zane Gonzalez". 49ers.com. March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  55. Gantt, Darin (March 24, 2023). "Panthers trade kicker Zane Gonzalez to San Francisco". Panthers.com. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  56. "49ers Announce Moves for Initial 53-Man Roster". 49ers.com. August 29, 2023.
  57. "5 Things to Know: Kicker Zane Gonzalez". 49ers.com. Retrieved November 4, 2023.