# Zane Gonzalez

Zane Holden Fortunato Gonzalez (born May 7, 1995) is an American professional football placekicker for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils, finishing as the NCAA Division I leader in field goals made at the time prior to being selected by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL draft. He was a unanimous All-American and won the Lou Groza Award in 2016.

## College career

Arizona State University (ASU) signed Gonzalez on March 28, 2013. 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. Gonzalez had a streak of 18 field goals converted, an ASU freshman record. He was awarded with a First Team All-Pac-12 Conference selection. 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.
During his sophomore year in 2014, Gonzalez connected on 22 of 27 (81.5%) field goals and was 50–52 on extra points. Gonzalez was awarded with a Second-Team All-Pac-12 selection. On October 18, he matched a then-career-high with four field goals against Stanford. On November 11, Gonzalez kicked four field goals including a game-winning field goal in overtime against Utah. He was named the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week. On December 27, Gonzalez kicked three field goals in the 2014 Sun Bowl.
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. He became the school's all-time scoring leader in the third quarter, surpassing Luis Zendejas (380).
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. He is the first Sun Devil in history to kick more than one 50-yarder in a game. 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. He was named the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week. On September 24, Gonzalez kicked three field goals and six extra points against California. With his three field goals, Gonzalez moved into 4th in NCAA history for career field goals at 84. Gonzalez's first field goal of the night broke the school record for career-made field goals. He was named the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week. On October 8, he kicked three field goals against UCLA. Gonzalez broke the NCAA career field goals made record with his 89th career field goal in the fourth quarter. He was named the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week for the third time. On October 15, he kicked three field goals against Colorado. He holds the record for career points by a kicker with 468, passing FSU’s Dustin Hopkins (466). He also tied the NCAA record for most 50+ yard field goals in a game with three. 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. On December 8, he was awarded the Lou Groza Award, becoming the second player in ASU history, joining Thomas Weber (2007). 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.
In the 2017 Senior Bowl, Gonzalez kicked three field goals, tying a record held since 1985.

## Professional career

Pre-draft measurables :
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span |
| 6 ft 0+1⁄2 in (1.84 m) | 202 lb (92 kg) | 29+1⁄2 in (0.75 m) | 9 in (0.23 m) |
| All values from NFL Combine ||||

### Cleveland Browns
#### 2017 season

The Cleveland Browns selected Gonzalez in the seventh round (224th overall) of the 2017 NFL draft. On May 16, 2017, the Browns signed him to a four-year, $2.48 million contract with a signing bonus of $89,156. 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.
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. 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. Overall, in the 2017 season, he converted 25 of 26 extra point attempts and 15 of 20 field goal attempts.

#### 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. 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. He was waived by the Browns the following day, September 17.

### Arizona Cardinals

On November 20, 2018, Gonzalez was signed to the practice squad of the Arizona Cardinals. He was promoted to the active roster on November 26, 2018, following an injury to Phil Dawson.
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.
Gonzalez re-signed with the Cardinals on April 23, 2020. He was placed on injured reserve on December 19, 2020. Gonzalez was released on March 5, 2021.

### Detroit Lions

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

### Carolina Panthers

On September 14, 2021, Gonzalez was signed by the Carolina Panthers off the Lions practice squad. 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. 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. 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.
On March 9, 2022, Gonzalez signed a one-year contract extension with the Panthers. 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.

### 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. He was placed on injured reserve on August 29. Gonzalez was released from injured reserve with an injury settlement on September 5.

### Washington Commanders

Gonzalez signed with the Washington Commanders' practice squad on November 8, 2024. He was elevated from the practice squad three times before signing to the active roster after Austin Seibert had been placed on injured reserve. In six regular season games in 2024 with the Commanders, Gonzalez made 5 of 7 field goals and 19 of 19 extra points. In his first-ever playoff appearance, on January 12, 2025, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with three seconds remaining in the game, Gonzalez kicked a dramatic, game-winning 37-yard field goal that bounced off the upright before going in. It was Washington's first playoff win since 2005. Gonzalez made 3-of-3 field goals in the game, including a 22-yard kick and a 52-yard kick, his longest of the year.
On March 6, 2025, Gonzalez signed a one-year extension with the Commanders.

## 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. He is known to have obsessive–compulsive disorder. He married Lizzy Mireya Martinez in 2024 and they had their first child on December 18, 2024.