Greg Joseph

Greg Joseph (born August 4, 1994) is a South African professional American football placekicker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida Atlantic University. He made his NFL debut in 2018 with the Cleveland Browns. He has also been a member of the Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers and Tennessee Titans.

Greg Joseph
Joseph in 2019
No. 1 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Position:Placekicker
Personal information
Born: (1994-08-04) August 4, 1994
Johannesburg, South Africa
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:208 lb (94 kg)
Career information
High school:American Heritage School (Delray Beach, Florida)
College:Florida Atlantic
Undrafted:2018
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:Practice squad
Career NFL statistics as of 2019
Field goals made:17
Field goal attempts:20
Field goal %:85.0
Longest field goal:51
Touchbacks:53
Player stats at NFL.com

Early years

Joseph was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, to Glen and Ilana Joseph.[1] He moved to West Boca Raton, Florida with his family in 2001 when he was seven years old, as his family sought to leave behind the political environment in South Africa, and his mother had family in Florida.[2][3][1][4] He is Jewish, and says Judaism has "absolutely" guided him during his life.[5][4]

He played football and soccer at Donna Klein Jewish Academy in Boca Raton, Florida, and also attended and played soccer (and was named all-county and all-state) and high school football (in which he was named all-county, all-state, and All-America by MaxPrep.com) at American Heritage School in Delray Beach, Florida.[6][7][4][8]

College career

Joseph spent five years at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton after walking onto the football team and redshirting his freshman year, and graduated in 2017 with a degree in exercise science and health promotion.[9][1][10][4] He graduated as the Owls’ all-time leader in field goals made (57), points scored (336), PATs (point-after-touchdown) made (165; in 170 attempts), and field goals attempted.[11][1][12][4] He also set the university's single-game records for PATs, field goals, points scored by kicking, and the Owls’ longest field goal (54 yards).[4][13]

As of February 2019, he was working towards finishing his MBA at FAU.[9]

Collegiate statistics
Greg Joseph
Year School Conf Class Pos G XPM XPA XP% FGM FGA FG% Pts
2014 Florida Atlantic CUSA SO K 11 34 35 97.1 14 20 70.0 76
2015 Florida Atlantic CUSA JR K 12 28 28 100.0 18 27 66.7 82
2016 Florida Atlantic CUSA JR K 12 39 39 100.0 10 14 71.4 69
2017 Florida Atlantic CUSA SR K 14 64 68 94.1 15 21 71.4 109
Career Florida Atlantic 165 170 97.1 57 82 69.5 336

Professional career

Miami Dolphins

After going un-selected in the 2018 NFL Draft, Joseph was signed as a free agent by the Miami Dolphins.[4] He made all three of the kicks he attempted in the preseason.[14] He was released by the Dolphins on September 1, 2018.[15]

Cleveland Browns

Joseph was signed by the Cleveland Browns on September 17, 2018.[4] He replaced Zane Gonzalez, who was cut from the team after missing two field goals and two extra points the previous day.[12] In a Week 5 game at home against the Baltimore Ravens, Joseph made his first career game-winning field goal, a 37-yard attempt. This helped the Browns win, in overtime, by a final score of 12–9.[16]

In his one season with the Browns, he made 17 of his 20 field goal attempts, with a long of 51 (his misses were beyond 40 yards), and made 25-of-29 extra points.[17] He was 4-of-4 from 20-to-29 yards, 7-of-7 from 30-to-39 yards, 5-of-7 from 40-to-49 yards and 1-of-2 from 50-plus yards.[18] In 2018, he handled 69 total kickoffs and achieved a touchback on 68.1% of them.[18]

On August 31, 2019, Joseph was released during final roster cuts after losing the kicker job to rookie Austin Seibert.[19]

Joseph was drafted in the fifth round of the fifth phase of the 2020 XFL Draft by the Seattle Dragons in October 2019.[20][21]

Carolina Panthers

On November 25, 2019, Joseph was signed to the Carolina Panthers practice squad.[22]

Tennessee Titans

On December 18, 2019, the Tennessee Titans signed Joseph to a three-year contract off Carolina's practice squad, after waiving kicker Ryan Santoso and placing kicker Ryan Succop on injured reserve.[23][24] He made his debut with the Titans on December 22, kicking four extra points in a 38–28 loss to the New Orleans Saints.[25] Joseph went 5-for-5 on extra points in the Week 17 finale against the Houston Texans, winning 35–14.

Joseph did not attempt a field goal until his fifth game with the Titans, when he made a 30-yard kick in the first quarter of the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He went 15-for-15 on extra points before his first field goal attempt.[26]

The Titans waived Joseph on September 3, 2020, after signing Stephen Gostkowski to assume their kicking duties.[27]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On September 8, 2020, Joseph signed to the practice squad of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[28] He was elevated to the active roster on December 18 for the team's week 15 game against the Atlanta Falcons, and reverted to the practice squad after the game.[29]

NFL career statistics
Regular season statistics
YearTeamGPOverall FGsPATsKickoffsPoints
BlkLngFGAFGMPctXPAXPMPctBlkKOAvgTBRetAvg
2018CLE 14051201785.0292586.206963.5472022.976
2019TEN 20000—99100.001163.66532.49
Career16051201785.0383489.508063.4532524.885
Postseason statistics
YearTeamGPOverall FGsPATsKickoffsPoints
BlkLngFGAFGMPctXPAXPMPctBlkKOAvgTBRetAvg
2019TEN 303011100.0099100.001461.45920.712
Playoffs303011100.099100.001461.45920.712

See also

References
  1. "Greg Joseph". Titansonline.com. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  2. Jason Lieser (May 21, 2018). "Dolphins K Greg Joseph out to win open competition with Jason Sanders," The Daily Dolphin.
  3. Doerschuk, Steve (September 18, 2018). "Kicker Greg Joseph was sunning himself when Browns called - The Repository - Canton, OH". Cantonrep.com. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  4. Carroll, Ed (October 19, 2018). "Cleveland Browns kicker Greg Joseph's long journey from Jewish day school to the NFL". Cleveland Jewish News. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  5. Lightstone, Mordechai (January 15, 2020). "Rookie NFL Kicker Scores Goal With New Mezuzah - Greg Joseph already an inspiration in Cleveland". Chabad-Lubavitch News. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  6. "2017 Football Roster; 17 Greg Joseph"
  7. Riechmann, Deb (September 2, 2019). "Cleveland Browns cut Jewish placekicker Greg Joseph". The Times of Israel. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  8. Schad, Joe (August 19, 2018). "Greg Joseph of American Heritage and FAU drills 54-yarder for Miami Dolphins". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  9. Elman, Jake (February 22, 2019). "Cleveland Browns kicker Greg Joseph recalls being cut by FAU in guest speaking appearence [sic] with current students". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  10. "Greg Joseph College Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  11. Staley, Antwan (May 15, 2018). "FAU alum Greg Joseph will try to win Dolphins kicking job". Dolphinswire.usatoday.com. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  12. Labbe, Dan (September 17, 2018). "Browns sign kicker Greg Joseph". Cleveland.com.
  13. "New Cleveland Browns placekicker Joseph looks to solve team's woes". Draftnasty Magazine. September 17, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  14. Lieser, Jason (August 30, 2018). "Miami Dolphins rookie Greg Joseph believes he's an NFL kicker". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  15. Beasley, Adam H.; Jackson, Barry; Salguero, Armando (September 1, 2018). "Live updates: All the players the Miami Dolphins have cut from their roster". Miami Herald. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  16. Florjancic, Matthew (October 7, 2018). "Cleveland Browns beat Baltimore Ravens, 12-9, on Greg Joseph FG in OT". WKYC. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  17. "Cleveland Browns cut Jewish placekicker Greg Joseph". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. September 1, 2019. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  18. Michael Moraitis. "Titans to sign K Greg Joseph from Panthers practice squad: Report"
  19. "Browns cut roster to 53 players". ClevelandBrowns.com. August 31, 2019.
  20. "Former Seahawks highlight Seattle Dragons' picks in XFL Draft". KIRO. October 16, 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  21. Herndon, Mike B. (December 17, 2019). "Titans sign kicker Greg Joseph from the Panthers practice squad". Music City Miracles. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  22. "Panthers promote offensive lineman and sign kicker to practice squad". Panthers.com. November 25, 2019.
  23. Michael Moraitis. "Titans signing of K Greg Joseph to multi-year deal confirmed by agent"
  24. Wyatt, Jim (December 18, 2019). "Lucky No.7? New Titans Kicker Greg Joseph Ready for Opportunity in Tennessee". Tennessee Titans. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  25. Herndon, Mike B. (December 23, 2019). "Winners and Losers from Saints 38, Titans 28". Music City Miracles.
  26. Walker, Teresa (January 19, 2020). "Titans not giving their kicker much of a chance to show off his leg these days, and that's OK with him". Chattanooga Times Free Press.
  27. Bacharach, Eric (September 3, 2020). "Titans sign kicker Stephen Gostkowski, waive Greg Joseph". The Tennessean.
  28. Smith, Scott (September 8, 2020). "Former First-Round QB Josh Rosen Joins Bucs' Practice Squad". Buccaneers.com.
  29. Smith, Scott (December 18, 2020). "Bucs Elevate Two from Practice Squad, Sign Punter and Long-Snapper". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
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