Tanner Brown Bio
Tanner Reid Brown is an American professional football placekicker, born on December 28, 1999, in Santa Clarita, California. Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall and weighing 183 pounds, Brown has built his career as a specialist at the collegiate and professional levels, transitioning through multiple programs before reaching the National Football League. He currently plays in the NFL and is recognized for his accuracy as a field goal kicker and his reliability in pressure situations. Despite going undrafted in 2023, he has continued to pursue his professional career through practice squad opportunities and reserve contracts.
Early Life and Background
Tanner Reid Brown was raised in Santa Clarita, California, where he attended Saugus High School and graduated as part of the class of 2018. During his early years, Brown was an active soccer player, a sport that helped develop the leg strength and coordination that would later serve him well as a kicker. As a sophomore, he decided to try out for the school football team, and the decision set the course for his future athletic career. He continued to play both soccer and football for the remainder of his time at Saugus, balancing two competitive schedules while developing his skills as a specialist.
As a senior at Saugus, Brown served as the team’s placekicker and went 7-for-11 on field goal attempts while converting 16 of 18 extra point tries. He also took on punting duties that season, recording 37 punts for 1,242 yards in 2017. Those numbers demonstrated an uncommon versatility for a young specialist and marked him as a player worth watching at the next level. His high school résumé gave junior college programs a clear picture of a two-phase kicker capable of contributing immediately.
Path to American Football
Brown’s path to professional football began at the junior college level, where he joined the College of the Canyons Cougars in 2018. He served as both placekicker and punter, helping the program capture back-to-back division championships in 2018 and 2019. His performance earned him All-American honors and all-conference recognition at both positions, a rare distinction for a specialist. At College of the Canyons, he converted 28 of 38 field goal attempts and all but two of his 102 extra point tries, showcasing consistency over a heavy workload.
Following his junior college success, Brown walked on at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, joining the UNLV Rebels for the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season. He appeared in six games, handling 24 kickoffs and 12 punts while adjusting to the Division I level. Looking for a new opportunity after one season, Brown reached out to college coaches around the country but received only one response, from a special teams analyst with the Oklahoma State Cowboys. He joined Oklahoma State as a walk-on and quickly earned a significant role, taking over kickoff duties in the second game of his first season and handling field goal and extra point responsibilities for the final 10 games.
Tanner Brown Career
Early Career (2018–2020)
Brown’s early career was defined by steady development across two college programs. At College of the Canyons, he earned All-American recognition while anchoring both the placekicking and punting duties, helping the Cougars win consecutive division titles. His success there caught the attention of four-year programs, and he transferred to UNLV for the 2020 season.
At UNLV, Brown was limited to a shortened schedule because of the pandemic, appearing in six games and handling a mix of kickoffs and punts. While his statistical impact was modest, the experience at the FBS level confirmed his ability to compete with stronger competition and prepared him for his next opportunity at Oklahoma State.
Oklahoma State Breakthrough (2021–2022)
After transferring to Oklahoma State as a walk-on, Brown rapidly established himself as one of the most accurate kickers in the Big 12 Conference. In his first season with the Cowboys, he converted all 36 of his extra point attempts and made 17 of 21 field goals, earning honorable mention all-conference recognition. The performance was a strong foundation for what would follow in his senior campaign.
In 2022, Brown was named a team captain and elevated his game to national prominence. He connected on 22 of 23 field goal attempts, a 95.7 percent success rate that ranked third in the Football Bowl Subdivision, and was perfect on extra points. He finished fifth nationally in field goals per game at 1.83 and seventh in points per game at 9.0. Those numbers earned him second-team All-Big 12 honors and made him a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, given annually to the top placekicker in college football. Over only two seasons at Oklahoma State, he scored 195 career points, placing him 15th in school history.
Los Angeles Rams Era (2023–2024)
After going unselected in the 2023 NFL Draft, Brown signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent, joining the team as one of two kickers competing for the starting role. When the other kicker, Christopher Dunn, was released in mid-June, Brown became the Rams’ lone specialist heading into training camp. He was ultimately waived on August 29, 2023, before the regular season began.
Brown rejoined the Rams on January 18, 2024, when he signed a reserve and future contract, only to be waived again in mid-August. Following an injury to starting kicker Joshua Karty, the Rams re-signed Brown to their practice squad on September 17, 2024, before releasing him again on October 1, 2024. His time in Los Angeles demonstrated his resilience and his ability to remain ready for opportunity at the highest level.
Atlanta Falcons Stint (2024)
On December 16, 2024, Brown was signed to the Atlanta Falcons practice squad, marking his second NFL team. His time in Atlanta was brief, as he was released just two days later. Even in that short window, the move reflected continued interest in his leg and his experience as a placekicker.
Driving Style and Strengths
Brown’s profile as a specialist is built on accuracy and consistency rather than raw distance, traits that have defined his career since high school. His soccer background contributed to smooth mechanics and repeatable kicking form, while his years handling both placekicking and punting duties have made him a versatile asset on special teams. Coaches have valued his poise under pressure, an attribute reflected in his perfect extra point streaks at both Oklahoma State and College of the Canyons.
Notable Events and Milestones
The defining stretch of Brown’s career came during the 2022 season at Oklahoma State, when he went 22-for-23 on field goals and earned Lou Groza Award semifinalist honors. He was also a second-team All-Big 12 selection that year, an award that confirmed his place among the conference’s elite specialists. In the professional ranks, his path from undrafted free agent to practice squad contributor with both the Rams and the Falcons reflects a career defined by persistence.
Tanner Brown Career Wins
Brown’s competitive résumé includes a pair of junior college division championships and conference and national recognition as a placekicker and punter. While he has yet to record regular-season statistics in an NFL regular season game, his accuracy rates at the collegiate level rank among the strongest in recent Big 12 history.
Collegiate Highlights
At College of the Canyons, Brown helped the Cougars win back-to-back division championships in 2018 and 2019 while earning All-American and all-conference honors. At Oklahoma State, he was a second-team All-Big 12 selection in 2022 and a Lou Groza Award semifinalist, finishing the season ranked third nationally in field goal percentage at 95.7 percent.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his championship and award seasons, Brown produced one of the most accurate single-season kicking performances in Oklahoma State history, scoring 195 points across just two seasons with the program. His career field goal accuracy of 39 of 44 at the FBS level, combined with perfect extra point numbers, has been central to his reputation as a reliable specialist.
Tanner Brown Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Tanner Brown’s immediate family is limited. He was raised in Santa Clarita, California, and his athletic development was supported in that community, where he played multiple sports at Saugus High School.
Personal Life
Details about Brown’s personal life, including marital status and family, are not widely documented in public sources. He has focused much of his public profile on his professional football career and his continued pursuit of a roster spot in the NFL.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Brown remains an experienced specialist whose recent track record includes practice squad time with both the Los Angeles Rams and the Atlanta Falcons. His accuracy at Oklahoma State, where he posted a 95.7 percent field goal rate in 2022, continues to be his strongest calling card as he looks to secure a stable role.
Brown’s path through two NFL organizations over a short span reflects the volatile nature of the kicker position, where injuries and performance swings often open doors for specialists waiting in reserve. His experience handling kickoff, field goal, and extra point duties gives him the kind of flexibility that teams often seek in a practice squad or reserve kicker.
Outlook for the year depends largely on opportunity, whether through training camp invitations, preseason competitions, or midseason injuries at other clubs. If given a sustained opportunity in 2025, his accuracy numbers suggest he is capable of performing at the professional level and competing for an extended roster presence.