Matt Gay
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.
![]() Gay at MacDill Air Force Base in 2019 | |||||||||||||
No. 1 – Los Angeles Rams | |||||||||||||
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Position: | Placekicker | ||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||
Born: | Orem, Utah | March 15, 1994||||||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||
Weight: | 232 lb (105 kg) | ||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||
High school: | Orem (UT) | ||||||||||||
College: | Utah | ||||||||||||
NFL Draft: | 2019 / Round: 5 / Pick: 145 | ||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||
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* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||
Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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Career NFL statistics as of 2020 | |||||||||||||
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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
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Gay was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round, 145th overall, of the 2019 NFL Draft.[5] 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.[6] On September 22, 2019, against the New York Giants, Gay missed two field goals, one extra point, and had an extra point blocked.[7]
On September 5, 2020, Gay was waived by the Buccaneers after the team signed veteran Ryan Succop.[8]
Indianapolis Colts
On September 15, 2020, Gay was signed to the Indianapolis Colts practice squad.[9] He was released on November 6,[10] but re-signed to the practice squad the next day.[11]
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.[12] 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 2 of his 3 field goal attempts, including the game winner late in the fourth quarter, during the 27–24 win.[13]
NFL career statistics
Regular season
Bold signifies career high.
General | Field goals | PATs | Kickoffs | Points | ||||||||||
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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 | 35 | 65.2 | 29 | 58 |
Career | 23 | 41 | 51 | 79.2 | 2 | 59 | 64 | 58 | 92.1 | 36 | 39.6 | 29 | 172 |
Postseason
General | Field goals | PATs | Kickoffs | Points | ||||||||||
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Season | Team | GP | FGM | FGA | FG% | Blck | Long | XPM | XPA | XP% | KO | Avg | TBs | Pts |
2020 | LAR | 1 | 3 | 3 | 100 | 0 | 40 | 3 | 3 | 100 | 4 | 68 | 2 | 12 |
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 at the USA U-17 national team residency program.[14]
References
- Worthy, Lynn (December 13, 2017). "Matt Gay set to become Utes' seventh consensus all-America selection". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
- Facer, Dirk (December 7, 2017). "Utah's Matt Gay wins Lou Groza Award". Deseret News. Deseret News Publishing Company. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
- Decker, Ryan (December 26, 2017). "Bowl Preview: WVU, Utah Battle in Heart of Dallas". West Virginia Illustrated. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
- 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.
- Sessler, Marc (April 27, 2019). "Buccaneers select kicker Matt Gay in fifth round". National Football League. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
- "San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - September 8th, 2019". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
- "New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - September 22nd, 2019". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
- Smith, Scott (September 5, 2020). "Matt Gay, A.Q. Shipley Among Cuts to Get to 53". Buccaneers.com.
- "Practice Squad Moves: Colts Sign K Matt Gay; Release DE Gerri Green". Colts.com. September 15, 2020.
- "Practice Squad Moves: Colts Bring Back RB Darius Jackson; Release K Matt Gay". Colts.com. November 6, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
- "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.
- Jackson, Stu (November 17, 2020). "Rams sign kicker Matt Gay, place three players on IR". TheRams.com. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
- "Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - November 23rd, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
- 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.