Martín Gramática Martín Gramática ( born November 27 , 1975 ) is a retired Argentine - American American football player who was a professional placekicker in the National Football League ( NFL ) for ten seasons . Gramática played college football for Kansas State University , and was recognized twice as an All - American . He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft , and played professionally for the Indianapolis Colts , Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints of the NFL . Early years . Gramática was born in Buenos Aires , Argentina . At the age of 9 , he had to travel with his family to the United States , where they made their home . They settled in LaBelle , Florida , north of Fort Myers . He was only interested in playing association football at LaBelle High School , but his kicking precision attracted the attention of the American football coach of the school . He invited Gramática to try out as the American football team ' s kicker . Gramática started to play high school football during his senior year . As the kicker for LaBelle High School , he hit 8 out of 10 field goal s , 22 points after touchdowns , and sent 38 of 49 kickoff s out of the end zone for touchback s . His longest field goal in high school was 52 yards . College career . Gramática played for the Kansas State Wildcats football team from 1994 to 1997 . During his four college seasons as a Wildcat ( where he worn the # 10 to honor Argentina ' s soccer star Diego Maradona ) , he made 54 out of 70 field goals and 187 of 192 point - after - touchdown attempts , gaining a school record of 349 points in four seasons . He also set the single - season school record with 135 points and the longest field goal kicked from 65 yards . Those achievements earned him the nickname " Automatica " because whenever he came on the field , it was taken for granted that his kicks would be successful . In 1996 he was granted a medical redshirt . Gramatica was a first - team All - America choice by the Associated Press both his junior and senior years and received the Lou Groza Award in 1997 . Notably , he was 3 - 3 on field goals from 50 + yards his junior year , and as a senior kicked a phenomenal 65 - yarder against Northern Illinois University – the longest field goal in college and professional football history kicked without a tee . He received his Bachelor of Science degree in social science in May 1999 . Also of note was his characteristic jumping in celebration after every successful field goal . However , he stopped this after his brother Bill tore his ACL while playing for the Arizona Cardinals and celebrating in a similar manner after kicking a field goal . He is a member of Kansas State ' s Ring of Honor . Professional career . Tampa Bay Buccaneers . Gramática was selected in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and played there for five seasons . He switched to # 7 due to quarterback Shaun King wearing # 10 . Gramática was the starter for the NFC Pro Bowl team in 2001 . In 2002 he won Super Bowl XXXVII with Tampa Bay , scoring 12 points that game and becoming the first Argentine - American in history to do so . Gramática also gained a popularity that allowed him to sign exclusive contracts to make advertisement campaigns for diverse companies . The $ 14 , 500 , 000 - contract signed with the Buccaneers in 2002 ranked Gramática among the best - paid Argentine sportsmen after footballers Hernán Crespo , Juan Verón and Gabriel Batistuta . In 2003 , Gramática had a noticeable drop in accuracy with field goals of 40 yards or longer - a trend that continued in 2004 until he was ultimately released by the Buccaneers . Indianapolis Colts . Gramática was signed by the Indianapolis Colts in December 2004 as a kickoff specialist . Gramatica later revealed in an interview in September 2005 with " The News - Press " of Fort Myers that he believed the reason for his struggles was because of torn muscles in his lower abductor and lower abdomen , which he had surgically repaired during the offseason . However , his rehabilitation was not completed until after the season started , and he was out of football for the entire 2005 season . New England Patriots . On April 6 , 2006 , the New England Patriots signed Gramática as a replacement for Adam Vinatieri , who signed with the Indianapolis Colts . Gramática competed with fourth - round draft pick Stephen Gostkowski for the position ; on August 23 , the Patriots gave the job to Gostkowski and released Gramática . Indianapolis Colts . On September 22 , he returned to the Colts as Vinatieri ' s backup and was released on October 4 , but re - signed on four days later , and yet again subsequently released . Dallas Cowboys . Gramática was then signed by the Dallas Cowboys on November 27 , 2006 when they released Mike Vanderjagt . On December 3 , in his debut with the Dallas Cowboys , Gramática kicked the game - winning field goal from 46 - yards out against the New York Giants , leaving 00 : 01 on the clock and the Dallas team celebrating on the sideline . Before the start of the 2007 season , Gramática signed a two - year extension with the Cowboys . After being placed on injured reserve for the 2007 season on September 2 , 2007 , he was released on September 25 . New Orleans Saints . On December 12 , 2007 Gramática was signed by the New Orleans Saints after kicker Olindo Mare was injured . Shortly after returning to the game , on December 23 , he matched his last personal long field goal of 55 yards just before halftime in a pivotal game against the Philadelphia Eagles . In the 2008 preseason , Gramática was challenged by sixth - round draft pick Taylor Mehlhaff for the team ' s placekicking job . Gramática retained the job as Mehlhaff was waived by the Saints on August 30 during final cuts . Gramática was perfect in field goals with the Saints until September 21 , 2008 , when he missed two critical field goals in a loss to the Denver Broncos . On October 6 , he had a blocked field goal that was returned for a touchdown and a missed 46 - yard field goal just before the two - minute warning in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings . Just two days after the game against Minnesota , Gramática was placed on season - ending injured reserve . The team re - signed Mehlhaff as a replacement . The Saints used two other kickers that season . Gramatica was released at the end of the year . Personal . Gramática is the older brother of professional placekickers Bill Gramática and Santiago Gramática . Together with his brothers , he currently hosts Gramática Kicking Camps ( American football place kicking and punting ) in Tampa , Florida and surrounding areas . He also actively supports the efforts of Football Americano Argentina , a starting league in his home country . He and his wife , Ashlee , have two sons , Nicolás and Gastón . Martín is in business with brother Bill , as a part of the Gramatica Group , LLC . Gramatica Group provides architectural designs , engineering services , and complete design turnkey installation capabilities throughout the southeastern United States .