Chandler Catanzaro (born February 26, 1991) is an American former professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

placekicker In gridiron football, the placekicker (PK), or simply kicker (K), is the player responsible for attempts at scoring Field goal (football), field goals and extra points. In most cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist ...

. He was signed by the

Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...

as an

undrafted free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...

in 2014 and later played for the

New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...

, and

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...

. He played

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

at Clemson.

Early life

Catanzaro attended and played

high school football High school football, also known as prep football, is gridiron football played by High school (North America), high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular high school sports, interscholastic sports in both c ...

at Christ Church Episcopal School. He considered two colleges:

Furman University Furman University is a private university in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1826 and named after Baptist pastor Richard Furman, the Liberal arts college, liberal arts university is the oldest private institution of higher l ...

and

Clemson University Clemson University () is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university near Clemson, South Carolina, United States. - The blue-shaded pattern denotes university property. This shows Clemson University is ''out ...

College career

Catanzaro attended

from 2009 to 2013. After a freshman year, in which he only made 14 of 22 field goals, he finished with a field goal percentage of 81.7%, missing only one kick in each of his junior and senior years. Catanzaro was the all-time leading scorer in Clemson history with 404 points until Travis Etienne broke the record in 2020.

College statistics

Professional career

Arizona Cardinals

In May 2014, the Arizona Cardinals signed the undrafted Catanzaro to compete along with veterans

Jay Feely Thomas James Feely (born May 23, 1976) is a former professional football player. He started his playing career as a placekicker with the Florida Bobcats in the Arena Football League (AFL) as a free agent in 1999 before playing for several Na ...

and Danny Hrapmann. On August 25, 2014, Feely was cut, giving the kicking job to Catanzaro. Catanzaro made his NFL debut on September 8, 2014, against the

San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...

, kicking two field goals. On September 14, 2014, Catanzaro kicked four field goals against the

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...

. He became first Cardinals rookie kicker since

Bill Gramatica Guillermo C. "Bill" Gramatica (born 10 July 1978) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins. He also was a member of the Tampa Bay Storm in the Arena Football Leag ...

(December 2, 2001, against the

Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team based in Oakland, California, from its founding in 1960 to 1981, and again from 1995 to 2019 before Oakland Raiders relocation to Las Vegas, relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan ...

) with four field goals in a game. On September 21, 2014, Catanzaro kicked a season/career-long 51-yard field goal against the

San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...

, which represents the longest field goal by a rookie in

history. On October 26, 2014, he made his 16th consecutive field goal from the start of his career without a miss, setting an NFL rookie record. On November 9, 2014, he extended the streak to 17, but missed his second attempt. This effort tied

Kai Forbath Kai August Forbath (born September 2, 1987) is an American former professional football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, earning consensus All-American honors and winn ...

for the record for most consecutive field goals to start a career. Catanzaro made all 27 extra point attempts and 29 of 33 field goal attempts in the 2014 season, which is the fourth-most in a single season in

history, behind Greg Davis (30),

(30), and

Neil Rackers Neil William Rackers (born August 16, 1976) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a placekicker for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Illinois Fighting I ...

(40). At the end of the 2014 season, Catanzaro established a new franchise rookie record with 114 points, shattering the previous mark of 73 set by

in 2001. Catanzaro's 114 points ranked as the second-highest total among NFL rookies behind only the

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...

’

Cody Parkey Cody Parkey (born February 19, 1992) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Auburn Tigers and was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an ...

(150). On October 4, 2015, Catanzaro kicked a career-high five field goals against the

St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1995 through the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, California, where the team had played ...

. In the 2015 season, Catanzaro converted 53 of 58 extra point attempts and 28 of 31 field goal attempts. In Week 3 of the 2016 season, Catanzaro kicked a career-long 60-yard field goal against the

Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...

in Buffalo. At the time, it was only the 16th field goal of at least 60 yards in the history of the NFL. His 60-yard field goal was the longest conversion of any kicker in the 2016 season. In Week 7, Catanzaro missed the game-winning field goal in overtime against the Seattle Seahawks. The game eventually ended in a 6–6 tie. He finished the 2016 season converting 43 of 47 extra point attempts and 21 of 28 field goal attempts.

New York Jets (first stint)

On March 10, 2017, Catanzaro signed with the

. On September 10, 2017, in the season opening 21–12 loss to the

, Catanzaro converted a 48-yard field goal and a 52-yard field goal in his Jets debut. In Week 4, the Jets were playing at home against the

Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...

. The game went into overtime with a score of 20–20. Catanzaro had missed a 45-yard field goal earlier in the game. With only 32 seconds left in overtime, he drilled a 41-yard field goal to win the game. In Week 5, Catanzaro kicked a 57-yard field goal, the longest in Jets franchise history. In the 2017 season, Catanzaro converted all 29 extra point attempts and 25 of 30 field goal attempts in 16 games.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On March 16, 2018, Catanzaro signed a three-year contract with the

. In the season opener against the

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...

, he tied his career-high with six extra points converted. On October 21, 2018, in a Week 7 matchup against the

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...

, after having missed an extra point attempt and a 40-yard field goal attempt earlier in the game Catanzaro hit a game winning 59-yard field goal in overtime to end the game 26–23, in the process setting the record for the longest field goal made in overtime in NFL history. On November 12, 2018, Catanzaro was released by the Buccaneers after missing two field goals in a 16–3 loss to the

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...

. He finished his time with the Buccaneers 11-for-15 on field goals and 23-for-27 on extra points in nine games.

Carolina Panthers

On December 7, 2018, Catanzaro signed with the

following an injury to

Graham Gano Graham Clark Gano (; born April 9, 1987) is a Scottish–American professional football placekicker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was signed by the B ...

New York Jets (second stint)

On March 15, 2019, Catanzaro signed with the Jets. After announcing his retirement on August 11, 2019, he was placed on the exempt/left squad list on August 11 and then placed on the reserve/left squad list on August 17. He was released from the reserve/left squad list on July 23, 2020.

New York Giants

Catanzaro signed with the

on August 1, 2020. He was released on August 17.

NFL career statistics

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Catanzaro, Chandler 1991 births Living people American football placekickers Arizona Cardinals players Carolina Panthers players Clemson Tigers football players New York Giants players New York Jets players People from Simpsonville, South Carolina Players of American football from South Carolina Tampa Bay Buccaneers players