Luis Fernando Zendejas (born October 22, 1961) is a Mexican former player of

American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

who was a

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 ...

in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL) for the

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...

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 ...

and

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...

. He also was a member of the

Arena Football League The Arena Football League (AFL) was a professional arena football league in the United States. It was founded in 1986, but played its first official games in the 1987 Arena Football League season, 1987 season, making it the third longest-runnin ...

(AFL). He later played professionally in the

United States Football League The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be ...

(USFL), and

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...

(CFL). 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 ...

for the

Arizona State Sun Devils The Arizona State Sun Devils are the sport, athletic teams that represent Arizona State University. ASU has nine men's and eleven women's Varsity team, varsity teams competing at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Divisi ...

Early life

Zendejas, was born in Curimeo, Michoacan, Mexico as one of nine children to Joaquin, and Raquel Zendejas. His parents moved the family to Chino, California when he was eight years old. In moving from Michoacan, he would be joining his uncle, Genaro's family, which included his cousins, and future place kickers Tony Zendejas and Martin Zendejas. Genaro Zendejas had just migrated his family to Chino, California from Curimeo, Michoacan, Mexico. Soccer was the main sport in the Zendejas family. He attended Don Antonio Lugo High School, where he was initially a

midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...

with the

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

team. He was called "Z" by his teammates. Football head coach Jack Coppes asked him to try out for the team and he ended up playing both sports. As a freshman, he converted 5 field goals and 19 extra point attempts. As a sophomore, he tied his cousin Tony, for the second longest field goal (53 yards) in CIF history. As a senior, he became the school's first four-year varsity

letterman Letterman may refer to: * Letterman (sports), a classification of high school or college athlete in the United States People * David Letterman (born 1947), American television talk show host ** ''Late Night with David Letterman'', talk show that ...

, while helping to win its first California Interscholastic Federation football title. He received All-CIF honors at the end of the season.

College career

Zendejas accepted a football scholarship from

Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in Tempe, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 as Territorial Normal School by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the university is o ...

. He became a starter at place kicker as a freshman. As a junior in 1983, he made a school record 28 field goals for 112 points, receiving first-team All-Pac-10 and consensus first-team

All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...

honors. As a senior in 1984, he slumped early in the season, but recovered to earn second-team All-Pac-10 honors. He finished his college career making 81 out of 108 field goals (75%) and 137 out of 138 extra points (99.3%). He set the then-

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...

career scoring record of 368 points, and most of the school's kicking records. In 1995, he was inducted into the

Sports Hall of Fame.

Professional career

Arizona Outlaws

Zendejas was selected in the 1985 USFL Territorial Draft by the Arizona Outlaws of the

. On January 23,

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...

, he was signed to a contract. He made 72% (24–33) of his field goals and 87% (36–41) of his extra points as a rookie. In

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. ** Spain and Portugal en ...

, the team folded along with the rest of the league.

Minnesota Vikings

, he was signed by the

, who were looking for a replacement for the recently retired

Jan Stenerud Jan Stenerud (, ; born November 26, 1942) is a Norwegian-American former professional football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL) for 19 seasons, primarily with the Kansas City Chiefs ...

. On August 21, he was released after losing the kicking competition against Chuck Nelson.

Dallas Cowboys (first stint)

1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...

, he was signed by the

, who were looking for a replacement for Rafael Septién. On September 1, he was waived after losing the kicking competition to

Roger Ruzek Roger Brian Ruzek (born December 17, 1960) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles. He also was a member of the New Jersey Generals in the United States ...

. After the players went on a strike on the third week of the season, those contests were canceled (reducing the 16-game season to 15) and the

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...

decided that the games would be played with replacement players. In September, he was re-signed to be a part of the Cowboys replacement team, which was given the mock name "Rhinestone Cowboys" by the media. He played in two games, where he made 3 out of 4 field goals and all 10 extra point attempts, including a team season-long 50-yard field goal against the

. He was replaced with Kerry Brady in the game against 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 ...

. On October 27, he was placed on the

injured reserve list The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in t ...

with an ankle injury. He was released 3 weeks later. On July 22, 1988, he was re-signed by the Cowboys who wanted protect themselves in case Ruzek's contract holdout extended into the regular season. Zendejas, who made a 47-yard field goal but missed two 49-yarders in the preseason, was released when Ruzek rejoined the team on September 13.

Philadelphia Eagles

On September 27, 1988, he was signed by the

after Dean Dorsey and Dale Dawson struggled in the first four games of the year. In the twelfth game 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 had a field goal blocked with 8:50 left in overtime, that was returned by teammate Clyde Simmons for a 15-yard game winning

touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Scoring a touchdown grants the team that scored it 6 points. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchd ...

. He was a part of the playoff game against the

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...

famously known as the " Fog Bowl", where he made all of the Eagles' points (4 field goals) in the 12–20 loss. In

1989 1989 was a turning point in political history with the "Revolutions of 1989" which ended communism in Eastern Bloc of Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power-sharing coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin W ...

, he made four field goals 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 ...

. On October 30, he was released after he missed four of seven field-goal attempts, including a 41-yarder in the Eagles' 28–24 win against the

Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...

. Steve DeLine was signed to take his place.

Dallas Cowboys (second stint)

On November 7,

, he was signed by the

to replace a struggling Ruzek. On November 22, Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson alleged that Eagles head coach Buddy Ryan had taken out a " bounty" on two Cowboys players—then-current Dallas (and former Philadelphia) placekicker Zendejas and quarterback

Troy Aikman Troy Kenneth Aikman (born November 21, 1966) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. After transferring from the Oklahoma Sooners, he play ...

in a game dubbed " Bounty Bowl" played on

Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...

Texas Stadium Texas Stadium was an American football stadium located in Irving, Texas, a suburb west of Dallas. Opened on October 24, 1971, it was known for its distinctive hole in the roof, the result of abandoned plans to construct a retractable roof. Th ...

. Zendejas was targeted by

linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...

Jessie Small on the second-half kickoff, where Zendejas was penalized on the play for a low block. He later reported to the media that he taped a telephone conversation with Eagles

special teams In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their position. Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...

coach Al Roberts without telling Roberts that would prove the accusation. After a two-week investigation, the league office issued a statement that they found the Eagles innocent of all charges. Zendejas was released on August 26,

1990 Important events of 1990 include the Reunification of Germany and the unification of Yemen, the formal beginning of the Human Genome Project (finished in 2003), the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, the separation of Namibia from South ...

, after losing a kicking competition against Ken Willis.

Arizona Rattlers

He also played for the

Arizona Rattlers The Arizona Rattlers are a professional indoor American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area that competes in the Indoor Football League (IFL). The Rattlers were founded in 1992 as an expansion team in the Arena Football League ...

from

1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...

1995 1995 was designated as: * United Nations Year for Tolerance * World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...

. He was a part of the ArenaBowl VIII championship team in

1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...

. He is the only kicker in Rattlers history to drop-kick extra points for two points.

Birmingham Barracudas

Zendejas finished his career with the Birmingham Barracudas of the

, where he kicked for 144 points in a single season in

Personal life

Luis' brothers,

Max Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (American dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (British dog), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of the OBE) * Max (gorilla) ...

and Joaquin, were also kickers in the

. His cousin Tony was a kicker in the

and Marty in the AFL. Zendejas has worked as senior director of community relations for 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 ...

since 2001. His son Cristian was the kicker for the

football team.

References

External links

Luis Zendejas football stats
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zendejas, Luis 1961 births Living people Sportspeople from Mexico City Mexican players of American football American football placekickers Arizona State Sun Devils football players All-American college football players Arizona Outlaws players Dallas Cowboys players Philadelphia Eagles players Arizona Rattlers players Birmingham Barracudas players NFL replacement players Mexican emigrants to the United States Players of American football from San Bernardino County, California People from Chino, California Zendejas family