Matt Gay

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Matt Gay
refer to caption
Gay with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019
No. 8 – Los Angeles Rams
Position:Placekicker
Personal information
Born: (1994-03-15) March 15, 1994 (age 30)
Orem, Utah
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:232 lb (105 kg)
Career information
High school:Orem (UT)
College:Utah (2017–2018)
NFL draft:2019 / Round: 5 / Pick: 145
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 12, 2022
Field goals made:88
Field goals attempted:101
Field goal %:87.1
Longest field goal:58
Touchbacks:128
Player stats at PFR

Matt Gay (born March 15, 1994) is an American football placekicker for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Utah, and was drafted in the fifth round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2019 NFL Draft.

College career

In 2017, Gay was a consensus All-American.[1] He also won the 2017 Lou Groza Award, being the first Ute to win the award as well as being the school's second-ever finalist.[2] Gay also won the 2017 Vlade Award.[3] That season, he led the nation in field goals and set a new Pac-12 Conference record with 30 field goals.[4]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span
6 ft 0 in
(1.83 m) 		232 lb
(105 kg) 		30+1⁄2 in
(0.77 m) 		9 in
(0.23 m)
All values from NFL Combine[5][6]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Gay was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round, 145th overall, of the 2019 NFL Draft.[7] Gay made his professional debut in the Buccaneers' regular season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. He converted two extra points and one field goal in the loss.[8] On September 22, 2019, against the New York Giants, Gay missed two field goals, one extra point, and had an extra point blocked.[9]

On September 5, 2020, Gay was waived by the Buccaneers after the team signed veteran Ryan Succop.[10]

Indianapolis Colts

On September 15, 2020, Gay was signed to the Indianapolis Colts practice squad.[11] He was released on November 6,[12] but re-signed to the practice squad the next day.[13]

Los Angeles Rams

On November 17, 2020, Gay was signed off the Colts' practice squad by the Los Angeles Rams to replace injured kicker Kai Forbath.[14] In Week 11 against his former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, on Monday Night Football, Gay was a perfect 3 for 3 on extra point attempts and made two of his three field goal attempts, including the game winner late in the fourth quarter, during the 27–24 win.[15] In 2021, Gay converted 32 of 34 field goal attempts and 48 of 49 PATs and was named to his first Pro Bowl. In an NFC Divisional Playoff game, also against the Buccaneers, he went 3 for 3 on extra point kicks and converted three of his four field goal tries, including the game winner from 30 yards out as time expired in a 30–27 victory, which sent the Rams to the NFC Championship Game.[16] He won his first Super Bowl title when the Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI, converting a 41-yard field goal in the third quarter as well as two PAT attempts.

On March 15, 2022, the Rams placed an original-round restricted free agent tender on Gay.

NFL career statistics

Legend
Won the Super Bowl
Led the league
Bold Career high

Regular season

General Field goals PATs Kickoffs Points
Season Team GP FGM FGA FG% Blck Long XPM XPA XP% KO Avg TBs Pts
2019 TB 16 27 35 77.1 2 58 43 48 89.6 1 14.0 0 124
2020 LAR 7 14 16 87.5 0 51 16 16 100.0 35 63.8 28 58
2021 LAR 17 32 34 94.1 0 55 48 49 98.0 102 61.9 65 144
Career 40 73 85 85.9 2 58 107 113 94.7 138 62.0 93 326

Postseason

General Field goals PATs Kickoffs Points
Season Team GP FGM FGA FG% Blck Long XPM XPA XP% KO Avg TBs Pts
2020 LAR 2 4 4 100.0 0 40 4 4 100.0 11 65.1 6 16
2021 LAR 4 8 10 80.0 0 46 11 11 100.0 18 63.3 11 35
Career 6 12 14 85.7 0 46 15 15 100.0 29 64.0 17 51

Buccaneers franchise records

  • Longest field goal by a rookie kicker - 58 yards (September 29, 2019 vs. Los Angeles Rams)
  • Most successful field goal attempts by a rookie kicker - 27 (tied with Martin Gramatica)
  • Most successful extra point attempts by a rookie kicker - 43
  • Most points scored by a rookie kicker - 124

Soccer career

Gay played for Utah Valley University for two seasons, leading the team in goals in 2014. He also spent time in the United States U-17 national team residency program.[17]

References

  1. ^ Worthy, Lynn (December 13, 2017). "Matt Gay set to become Utes' seventh consensus all-America selection". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  2. ^ Facer, Dirk (December 7, 2017). "Utah's Matt Gay wins Lou Groza Award". Deseret News. Deseret News Publishing Company. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  3. ^ Decker, Ryan (December 26, 2017). "Bowl Preview: WVU, Utah Battle in Heart of Dallas". West Virginia Illustrated. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  4. ^ Frye, Sean (December 26, 2017). "Utah kicker Matt Gay breaks Pac-12 record for field goals made in a season". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Enterprises. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  5. ^ "Matt Gay Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  6. ^ "Matt Gay, Utah, K, 2019 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  7. ^ Sessler, Marc (April 27, 2019). "Buccaneers select kicker Matt Gay in fifth round". National Football League. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  8. ^ "San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - September 8th, 2019". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  9. ^ "New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - September 22nd, 2019". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  10. ^ Smith, Scott (September 5, 2020). "Matt Gay, A.Q. Shipley Among Cuts to Get to 53". Buccaneers.com.
  11. ^ "Practice Squad Moves: Colts Sign K Matt Gay; Release DE Gerri Green". Colts.com. September 15, 2020.
  12. ^ "Practice Squad Moves: Colts Bring Back RB Darius Jackson; Release K Matt Gay". Colts.com. November 6, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  13. ^ "Colts Activate LB Matthew Adams From IR; Elevate WRs Daurice Fountain & DeMichael Harris To Active Roster; Place WR Ashton Dulin On IR". Colts.com. November 7, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  14. ^ Jackson, Stu (November 17, 2020). "Rams sign kicker Matt Gay, place three players on IR". TheRams.com. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  15. ^ "Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - November 23rd, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  16. ^ "Rams at Bucs - Post Game Recap". January 23, 2022.
  17. ^ Genessy, Jody (December 19, 2017). "Angel in the uprights: Utah kicker Matt Gay draws inspiration from friend who died". Deseret News. Deseret News Publishing Company. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
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