Gregory Zuerlein (born December 27, 1987), nicknamed "Greg the Leg" and "Legatron", is an American football placekicker for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, he played college football at Nebraska-Omaha and Missouri Western. He previously played for the St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams and the Dallas Cowboys.
Early years
Zuerlein was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, and graduated from Lincoln Pius X in 2006. As a junior in 2004, Zuerlein set a Nebraska state record for field goals in a season, converting 12-of-16 attempts with a long of 52 yards.
His successful play would earn him Nebraska All-State and All-Class honors as a junior and senior.
He also practiced soccer and was a 2005 Sports Illustrated preseason high school All-American.
College career
Zuerlein accepted a football scholarship from the NCAA Division II University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO). As a sophomore in 2008, he set a school record with 61 consecutive extra points made.
As a junior in 2009, he set school records with 17 field goals in a single-season (17-for-23) extra points in a career with 131. He made a career-long 52-yard field goal against West Texas A&M University in the Kanza Bowl. He finished the season 9 field goals shy of the school all-time career record of 45.
As a senior in 2010, he was given a medical redshirt with a hip injury.
In 2011, UNO canceled its football program, and Zuerlein was forced to transfer to another Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association school, Missouri Western State University. There, he set the NCAA Division II record of 21 consecutive field goals, nine of which were beyond 50 yards. He set the school record with a 58-yard field goal against Northwest Missouri State University twice. He had a .952 field goal percentage, making 23 of 24 attempts, which was the highest of any NCAA player in any division with 12 or more attempts in 2011, as he averaged 10.7 points per game.
Professional career
St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams
Zuerlein was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the sixth round (171st overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft. He was the first non-Football Bowl Subdivision kicker to be drafted since Stephen Gostkowski in 2006, and the first below the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision since Paul Ernster in 2005. The Rams cut their primary kicker Josh Brown, who was in the final year of his $14.5 million five-year deal, the same weekend they drafted Zuerlein.
2012: Rookie season
Zuerlein made his NFL debut in the season opener against the Detroit Lions and converted two extra point attempts and three field goal attempts in the 27–23 loss. In Week 3, against the Chicago Bears, he made a 56-yard field goal, the longest at Soldier Field. In Week 4, he hit a 60-yard field goal against the Seattle Seahawks, which beat the franchise record of 58 yards, set by Zuerlein earlier in the same game. The kick broke Jeff Wilkins' 14-year record. He became the first player in NFL history to make a 60-yard field goal and a 50-plus yarder in the same game. He was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his effort against the Seahawks. In Week 6, Zuerlein missed three field goals wide left, the first two from 37 and 52 yards, and the final one at 66 yards to tie the game against the Miami Dolphins. In Week 13, Zuerlein made a 54-yard field goal with 26 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Rams a 16–13 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at the Edward Jones Dome. It was the second longest successful field goal in NFL overtime history, three yards short of the NFL overtime record, which is held by Sebastian Janikowski. He earned another NFC Special Teams player of the Week award for his game against the 49ers. In 2012, he attempted 13 field goals of 50 yards or longer, converting seven. Overall, in his rookie season, he converted all 26 extra point attempts and 23 of 31 field goal attempts.
2013 season
Zuerlein started the 2013 season off converting all four field goal attempts and one extra point attempt in the 27–24 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. The 13 points he scored in the season opener was his highest scoring in one game on the season. Overall, he was a reliable kicker when called upon, converting all 34 extra point attempts and 26 of 28 field goal attempts in the 2013 season as the Rams finished with a 7–9 record.