Joey Slye Bio
Joseph David Slye is an American professional football placekicker for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). Standing roughly 6 feet tall and competing at around 215 pounds, Slye has built a career as a reliable long-range kicker who has moved between several NFL rosters since first entering the league in 2019. He is widely recognized for holding the franchise records for the longest field goal with both the Washington Commanders and the New England Patriots.
Born and raised along the East Coast after early years in New Mexico, Slye played college football at Virginia Tech before signing as an undrafted free agent with the New York Giants. Across stops in Carolina, Houston, San Francisco, Washington, Jacksonville, New England, and now Tennessee, he has earned recognition as one of the more traveled specialists in the modern NFL.
Early Life and Background
Joseph David Slye was born on April 10, 1996, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Although he was born in the Southwest, Slye grew up in Stafford, Virginia, where his family settled during his childhood. That move to Virginia placed him in a region with strong high school football traditions and helped shape his early development as a multi-phase football player.
Slye attended North Stafford High School, where he suited up for the Wolverines football program. He was named all-state as both a kicker and as a linebacker, an unusual combination that highlighted his unusual athletic profile for a specialist. Playing on both sides of the ball in high school helped him build the toughness and field awareness that later translated to the college level.
Path to the NFL
Slye played four seasons of college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies, joining the program as a walk-on rather than accepting a scholarship offer from James Madison. Over his time in Blacksburg, he developed into one of the most accurate kickers in the Atlantic Coast Conference and earned Third-team All-ACC honors in 2016. He finished his Virginia Tech career having made 78 of 108 field goal attempts, a 72.2 percent conversion rate, and 169 of 172 extra point attempts, a mark of 98.3 percent.
After his senior season, Slye entered the 2018 NFL Draft but went unselected. He participated in a tryout for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and drew interest from the Cleveland Browns, though neither team signed him. The setback pushed him toward the undrafted free agent market, where he eventually landed his first opportunity the following spring.
Joey Slye Career
Early Career (2019)
Slye signed with the New York Giants on May 6, 2019, but was released eight days later during the early offseason roster shuffle. The Giants re-signed him on July 24, yet he was waived again three days afterward. Those brief stints in New York gave him short windows inside an NFL building and helped him stay ready when a longer opportunity appeared later that summer.
On August 1, 2019, Slye signed with the Carolina Panthers, originally brought in as a camp leg while established kicker Graham Gano recovered from injury. He made seven of eight field goal attempts in the preseason, including three from beyond 50 yards, and was named the Panthers’ kicker for the 2019 regular season after Gano was placed on injured reserve.
Carolina Panthers Era (2019–2021)
Slye made his NFL debut on September 8, 2019, against the Los Angeles Rams, missing his first career field goal attempt from 53 yards out but hitting his next two tries from 46 and 52 yards while making all three of his extra point attempts. He was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 4 after going a perfect 3-for-3 on field goal attempts, including a 55-yarder, against the Houston Texans on September 29, 2019. He finished his rookie season with 25 field goals on 32 attempts, a 78.1 percent success rate, and 31 of 35 extra points.
Slye signed a one-year extension with the Panthers on February 6, 2020, and later made a career-high five field goals on five attempts in a 21–16 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on September 28. The 2020 season also featured two dramatic record attempts: a 65-yard try at the end of a Week 7 loss to the New Orleans Saints that fell just short, and a 67-yard attempt at the buzzer against the Kansas City Chiefs two weeks later. He signed another one-year extension in January 2021 before being released on August 28 after the Panthers traded for Ryan Santoso.
Houston Texans and San Francisco 49ers (2021)
On September 7, 2021, Slye was signed to the practice squad of the Houston Texans. Four days later he was elevated to the active roster following an injury to starting kicker Kaʻimi Fairbairn, and in three games he connected on 4 of 5 field goal attempts and 7 of 8 extra point attempts before being waived on September 30. On October 5, 2021, he was signed by the San Francisco 49ers after an injury to Robbie Gould, and he remained with the team until being waived on November 2 once Gould returned.
Washington Commanders Era (2021–2023)
Slye signed with the Washington Football Team on November 9, 2021. During Week 12 against the Seattle Seahawks he suffered a hamstring injury after a blocked extra point attempt and was placed on injured reserve the following day, before being activated on December 25. Washington placed a restricted free agent tender on Slye on March 16, 2022, and he agreed to a two-year contract worth around $5 million on April 11.
During Week 10 of the 2022 season against the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles, Slye made all four of his field goal attempts, including a then-career-long 58-yarder and another from 55 yards, in a 32–21 upset win that earned him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. At the end of November 2022, he was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month after scoring 37 points on 7-for-8 extra points and a perfect 10-for-10 mark on field goals. In Week 8 of the 2023 season, he set a Commanders franchise record for the longest field goal made, drilling a 61-yarder.
Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots (2024)
On March 18, 2024, Slye signed a one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, only to be released on April 30 after the team selected Cam Little in the NFL Draft. On May 2, 2024, he signed a one-year deal with the New England Patriots and won the kicking job over incumbent Chad Ryland during the preseason. In Week 4, Slye set the Patriots franchise record for the longest field goal made at 63 yards, also a new career high. He finished the 2024 season converting 26 of 33 field goal attempts and 25 of 26 extra point attempts.
Tennessee Titans Era (2025–Present)
On March 24, 2025, Slye signed with the Tennessee Titans, returning to the AFC South and continuing his career as a veteran specialist. In Week 5, during a comeback win against the Arizona Cardinals, he kicked a 29-yard game-winning field goal as the Titans rallied to a 22–21 victory, marking the first game-winning field goal of his NFL career. His early work in Tennessee has suggested a stabilizing presence for a team rebuilding its kicking game.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although best known as a kicker, Slye has leaned on a strong leg and comfort with long attempts throughout his career, frequently lining up tries from beyond 50 yards. He has shown steady accuracy on extra points and a willingness to attempt distance records, and he pairs his leg strength with a calm approach in late-game pressure situations.
Notable Events and Milestones
Slye holds two franchise records for the longest field goal made: 61 yards with the Washington Commanders in 2023 and 63 yards with the New England Patriots in 2024. He also attempted an NFL-record 65-yard field goal against the New Orleans Saints in 2020, missing by only a few inches, and followed it with a 67-yard try against the Kansas City Chiefs two weeks later.
Joey Slye Career Wins
Across his NFL career, Joey Slye has produced a series of high-leverage kicks, highlighted by game-winning attempts, perfect outings that earned weekly and monthly awards, and franchise-record field goals. While kickers are not typically credited with wins in the traditional sense, his field goals have directly decided games and set benchmarks that frame his career arc.
Panthers Highlights
Slye’s most productive stretch came in Carolina, where he opened his career with a strong 2019 rookie season, made a career-high five field goals against the Chargers in 2020, and pushed the boundaries of the game with his 65- and 67-yard attempts. He also earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors during his debut season, establishing himself as a confident long-range option.
Commanders and Patriots Highlights
In Washington, Slye delivered a perfect 4-for-4 performance against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022, set a Commanders record with a 61-yard field goal in 2023, and earned both weekly and monthly NFC Special Teams awards. With New England in 2024, he set the Patriots’ franchise record at 63 yards and converted 26 of 33 field goal attempts on the season.
Other Wins and Performances
Slye has also contributed in shorter stints, going 4 of 5 on field goals in three games with the Houston Texans in 2021 and stepping in for the San Francisco 49ers later that fall after an injury to Robbie Gould. In 2025 with the Tennessee Titans, his 29-yard game-winning field goal against the Arizona Cardinals delivered his first career walk-off kick in the NFL.
Joey Slye Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Slye grew up in Stafford, Virginia, after being born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and developed his kicking roots in a region known for producing specialist talent. While specific details about his parents are not widely confirmed, his football journey through North Stafford High School and Virginia Tech reflects a strong family foundation that supported his development in the sport.
Personal Life
Joseph David Slye has kept much of his personal life private. He is widely followed on social media, where he shares insights about his training and NFL travels, and he continues to focus on his career as he settles into his role with the Tennessee Titans.
2025 Season Performance
Slye’s 2025 campaign with the Tennessee Titans began on a strong note when he converted a 29-yard game-winning field goal in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals, sealing a 22–21 comeback victory. That kick marked the first game-winning field goal of his NFL career and offered an early sign of the reliability Tennessee hoped to add at the position.
Beyond the dramatic finish against Arizona, Slye has slotted into a Titans roster that is leaning on veteran stability at kicker following a busy free agent period. His accuracy on extra points and continued willingness to attempt longer field goals have made him a quiet but meaningful piece of the team’s special teams unit.
As the 2025 season progresses, the Titans will look to Slye to maintain his accuracy and to provide clutch kicking in close games, building on the foundation of his franchise-record performances in Washington and New England. With a full offseason to prepare in Tennessee, he is positioned to play one of the most consistent stretches of his career.