Zane Gonzalez Bio
Zane Holden Fortunato Gonzalez is an American professional football placekicker currently playing for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. Born on May 7, 1995, in Deer Park, Texas, he rose to national attention as a kicker at Arizona State University, where he set the NCAA Division I record for career field goals made at the time. Selected by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Gonzalez has since built a journeyman career across multiple franchises, earning recognition as both a clutch performer and a record-setter at the professional and collegiate levels.
Early Life and Background
Zane Holden Fortunato Gonzalez was born on May 7, 1995, in Deer Park, Texas, a suburb of Houston. He grew up in a supportive household headed by his father, Joseph Gonzalez, who played an unexpected role in shaping his son’s distinctive first name. The name Zane came from Joseph’s discovery of the character Zane in the western film Maverick, played by James Garner, and the name stuck.
Gonzalez attended Deer Park High School, where he developed into one of the most accurate kickers in the region. His performance at the high school level attracted the attention of college scouts, and on March 28, 2013, he signed with Arizona State University to continue his football career. His upbringing in Texas, a state with a strong football culture, helped lay the foundation for his lifelong connection to the sport.
Path to Professional Football
Zane Holden Fortunato Gonzalez committed to Arizona State University in 2013, joining the Sun Devils program as a placekicker. He quickly established himself during his freshman year, connecting on 25 of 30 field goal attempts and all 63 of his extra point tries while breaking the school’s freshman record with an 18 consecutive field goals made streak. His performance earned him a First Team All-Pac-12 Conference selection and set the stage for an exceptional collegiate career.
Across four seasons with the Sun Devils, Gonzalez became one of the most decorated kickers in program history. He set the school record for points by a kicker as a freshman with 138, eventually surpassing Luis Zendejas as the school’s all-time scoring leader with 380 points. As a senior, he broke the Pac-12 record for career points scored, the NCAA Division I record for career field goals made with his 89th, and became only the second player in conference history to earn Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week four times.
Zane Gonzalez Career
Early Career (2013–2016)
Gonzalez’s four seasons at Arizona State University (2013 to 2016) marked him as one of the most productive kickers in college football history. As a freshman, he made 25 of 30 field goals and tied the NCAA record for field goals made by a freshman, earning First Team All-Pac-12 honors. During his sophomore year, he connected on 22 of 27 field goals, including a game-winning overtime kick against Utah, and was named Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week.
His junior season in 2015 included a school-record six field goals against California, matching the Pac-12 record, and a strong performance in the 2016 Cactus Bowl. As a senior in 2016, Gonzalez converted 23 of 25 field goals and was named a unanimous All-American and winner of the Lou Groza Award, becoming only the third unanimous All-American in school history. He closed his college career at the 2017 Senior Bowl, where he tied a record set in 1985 with three field goals.
Cleveland Browns Breakthrough (2017–2018)
The Cleveland Browns selected Zane Holden Fortunato Gonzalez in the seventh round, 224th overall, of the 2017 NFL Draft, signing him to a four-year, $2.48 million contract with an $89,156 signing bonus. After beating out incumbent Cody Parkey for the starting job, Gonzalez made his NFL debut on September 10, 2017, against the Pittsburgh Steelers, recording his first career extra point and a 24-yard field goal. In Week 7, he scored all nine of Cleveland’s points in a 12–9 loss to the Tennessee Titans, including a career-long 54-yard field goal.
Gonzalez finished his rookie season converting 15 of 20 field goals and 25 of 26 extra points, but his 2018 season began poorly. A missed overtime field goal in the season opener and a four-miss performance in Week 2, including a potential game-winner against the New Orleans Saints, led to his release on September 17, 2018.
Arizona Cardinals Tenure (2018–2021)
On November 20, 2018, the Arizona Cardinals signed Zane Holden Fortunato Gonzalez to their practice squad, promoting him to the active roster a week later following an injury to Phil Dawson. He made an immediate impact in Week 13, kicking a 44-yard go-ahead field goal to seal a 20–17 win over the Green Bay Packers. He re-signed with the Cardinals in April 2020, but was placed on injured reserve on December 19, 2020, and ultimately released on March 5, 2021.
Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers Era (2021–2022)
Gonzalez signed with the Detroit Lions on August 10, 2021, was waived on August 31, and re-signed to the practice squad the following day. The Carolina Panthers signed him off Detroit’s practice squad on September 14, 2021. He quickly became one of the league’s hottest kickers, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week twice in a three-week stretch: first after a perfect four-field-goal performance against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8, and again after another four-field-goal game against the Cardinals in Week 10. A quad injury in Week 15 ended his 2021 season, and a separate quad injury in 2022 cost him the entire year.
San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders (2023–2025)
The Carolina Panthers traded Zane Holden Fortunato Gonzalez to the San Francisco 49ers on March 24, 2023, in exchange for a conditional swap of late-round picks. He was placed on injured reserve in August 2023 and released with an injury settlement in September. He signed with the Washington Commanders’ practice squad on November 8, 2024, and was elevated to the active roster after Austin Seibert went on injured reserve. In his first career playoff game, on January 12, 2025, Gonzalez kicked a dramatic 37-yard game-winning field goal as time expired against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, securing Washington’s first playoff victory since 2005. He signed a one-year extension with the Commanders on March 6, 2025, but was released following the signing of Matt Gay on April 29.
Atlanta Falcons Era (2025–Present)
On November 5, 2025, Zane Holden Fortunato Gonzalez signed with the Atlanta Falcons. In his Week 12 debut, he converted all three field goals and an extra point in a 24–10 win over the New Orleans Saints, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. He has continued to provide reliable kicking production for the Falcons since joining the roster.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Gonzalez’s most memorable moments is his game-winning 37-yard field goal against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2024–25 NFC Wild Card round, which ended Washington’s 19-year playoff win drought. He also owns the NCAA Division I record for career field goals made, set in 2016, and the Pac-12 record for career points scored, a mark that stood as a conference benchmark during his time in the league.
Zane Gonzalez Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Zane Holden Fortunato Gonzalez is married to Lizzy Mireya Martinez, and the couple welcomed their first child on December 18, 2024. His father, Joseph Gonzalez, was responsible for his distinctive first name, having chosen it after watching the 1994 film Maverick, in which James Garner plays a character named Zane. Gonzalez has also been open about his ongoing struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder, a personal challenge he has discussed publicly to raise awareness of mental health issues affecting professional athletes.
2025 Season Performance
Zane Holden Fortunato Gonzalez began 2025 with the Washington Commanders after signing a one-year extension in March, but was released on April 29 following the team’s signing of veteran kicker Matt Gay. He remained available throughout the early portion of the regular season before signing with the Atlanta Falcons on November 5, 2025, where he has since served as the team’s primary kicker.
His Falcons debut in Week 12 against the New Orleans Saints was a near-perfect performance, converting all three field goals and his lone extra point attempt in a 24–10 victory, an effort that earned him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. He has continued to demonstrate consistency in field goal accuracy and clutch performance for Atlanta since joining the team midseason.
Gonzalez’s 2025 campaign has been defined by perseverance, having navigated a release, a brief stretch as a free agent, and a successful transition to a third team in roughly four months. With the Falcons pushing for a postseason berth, his veteran experience and accuracy from distance are likely to remain a key factor in the closing weeks of the regular season and any potential playoff run.