Chad Ryland
{{Short description|American football player (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Chad Ryland
| image = Chad Ryland 8 25 2023 (2).jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Ryland with the New England Patriots in 2023
| number = 38
| position = Placekicker
| current_team = Arizona Cardinals
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|10|15}}
| birth_place = Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lb = 195
| high_school = Cedar Crest (Lebanon)
| college = Eastern Michigan (2018–2021)
Maryland (2022)
| draftyear = 2023
| draftround = 4
| draftpick = 112
| pastteams =
- New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|2023}})
- Arizona Cardinals ({{NFL Year|2024}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
- Second-team All-Big Ten (2022)
- 2× Second-team All-MAC (2020, 2021)
| statweek = 18
| statseason = 2024
| statlabel1 = Field goals made
| statvalue1 = 44
| statlabel2 = Field goals attempted
| statvalue2 = 57
| statlabel3 = Field goal %
| statvalue3 = 77.2
| statlabel4 = Longest field goal
| statvalue4 = 58
| pfr = RylaCh00
| statlabel5 = Points scored
| statvalue5 = 182
| statlabel6 = Touchbacks
| statvalue6 = 93
}}
Chad Michael Ryland (born October 15, 1999) is an American professional football placekicker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Eastern Michigan Eagles and Maryland Terrapins.
Early life
Ryland was born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/_/id/4363538/chad-ryland|publisher=ESPN|title=Chad Ryland}} He attended Cedar Crest High School but initially only played soccer and baseball.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122819308/lnp-always-lancaster/|newspaper=LNP|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 12, 2022|page=B1, [https://newspapers.com/clip/122819410/lnp-always-lancaster/ B3]|title=Terps' Ryland grew to love kicking|author=Gross, Mike}} {{Open access}} He was convinced to tryout for the football team as a junior by his father.{{Cite web|url=https://www.testudotimes.com/2022/11/1/23432089/chad-rylands-quest-for-perfection-finds-a-home-in-college-park|website=Testudo Times|title=Chad Ryland's quest for perfection finds a home in College Park|author=Oshtry, Sam|date=November 1, 2022}} He made the team and in both years was named an all-league and all-county selection at placekicker.{{Cite web|url=https://lebtown.com/2019/04/05/chad-ryland-shares-experience-as-freshman-walk-on-kicker-for-emu/|website=LebTown.com|title=Chad Ryland shares experience as freshman walk-on kicker for EMU|date=April 5, 2019}} To train, he and his father often snuck onto the school's athletic field after it was closed, and when they sometimes were told to leave, they briefly left, but then returned and Ryland continued practicing. He was ranked a five-star kicker and the 24th-best nationally at the position by Kohl's kicking camps.
College career
Ryland was a walk-on at Eastern Michigan, and won the starting job as a true freshman. In his second game, he made the most memorable kick of his career: a game-winning 24-yard field goal as time expired to upset heavy favorite Purdue 20–19.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122821000/the-times/|newspaper=The Times|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 9, 2018|page=C9|agency=Associated Press|title=Boilers fall in final seconds|author=Johnson, Jim}} {{Open access}} Although he had a good performance to start the year, his play declined over the course of the season, and he finished having made only 12-of-20 field goal attempts, although Ryland did successfully convert all 41 PATs.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/draft/news/chad-ryland|magazine=Sports Illustrated|title=NFL Draft Profile: Chad Ryland, Kicker, Maryland Terrapins|date=November 17, 2022}}
As a sophomore at Eastern Michigan in 2019, Ryland appeared in all 13 games and made 35 PATs, additionally making 14-of-19 field goal tries.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/chad-ryland-1.html|website=Sports-Reference.com|title=Chad Ryland College Stats}} Against Illinois, he converted a 24-yard game-winning field goal attempt in the final seconds.{{Cite news|url=https://digitaledition.chicagotribune.com/tribune/article_popover.aspx?guid=135f5399-136f-4921-ae9e-4888f25fec66|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|title='Embarrassing' — 3-0 start slips away on last-second FG|date=2019|author=Ryan, Shannon}} He was a second-team all-conference choice after the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, in which he ranked top-20 nationally with a field goal percentage of 84.6, converting 11-of-13 attempts.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ldnews.com/story/sports/2021/02/19/cedar-crest-grad-ryland-one-top-fg-kickers-nation/4504407001/|newspaper=Lebanon Daily News|title=Ryland getting a kick out of Eastern Michigan|author=Arsenault, Bill|date=February 19, 2021}} The following year, Ryland set a team record with 104 points in a season after making 19-of-22 field goals and all 47 of his attempted PATs.{{Cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/maryland-football-signs-4-star-213500266.html|website=Yahoo!|title=Maryland football signs 4-star QB Cameron Edge, kicker Chad Ryland during National Signing Day|author=McFadden, Ryan|date=February 2, 2022}}
Ryland transferred to Maryland in 2022, finishing his stint at Eastern Michigan as their all-time leading scorer with 309 points. In his only season at Maryland, he appeared in every game and was named second-team all-conference after converting 19-of-23 field goal attempts, including being 3-for-6 on attempts of over 50 yards.{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/niners-add-pass-rush-depth-explosive-rb-qb-steal-in-seven-round-mock-draft|publisher=Fox News|title=Niners add pass-rush depth, explosive RB, QB steal in seven-round mock draft|author=Williams, Eric|date=April 11, 2023}}{{Cite news|url=https://titanswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/30/maryland-pro-day-chad-ryland-titans-special-teams-coaches/|newspaper=USA Today|title=Titans special teams coaches were in attendance at Maryland pro day|author=Calderon, Shaun|date=March 30, 2023}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 11 3/4
| weight = 190
| arm span = 30 1/8
| hand span = 9 3/8
| note = All values from the NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/chad-ryland/32005259-4c02-9663-76b8-52ab16a27c3a |title=Chad Ryland Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=April 29, 2023}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1027573&DraftYear=2023 |title=2023 NFL Draft Scout Chad Ryland College Football Profile |access-date=April 29, 2023 |website=DraftScout.com}}
}}
=New England Patriots =
Ryland was selected by the New England Patriots in the fourth round (112th overall) of the 2023 NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=Buchmasser |first=Bernd |date=2023-04-29 |title=Patriots draft Maryland K Chad Ryland after trading up to the 112th overall pick |url=https://www.patspulpit.com/2023/4/29/23704298/nfl-draft-results-2023-patriots-trade-kicker-chad-ryland |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=Pats Pulpit |publisher=SB Nation |language=en}}
In Week 16 on Christmas Eve night, although having missed an earlier field goal attempt and a point after attempt against the Denver Broncos, Ryland made a 56 yard field goal with two seconds on the clock for a 26–23 win.{{cite web | last=Dubin | first=Jared | title=Patriots vs. Broncos score, takeaways: New England spoils Denver's frantic comeback with late field goal | website=CBSSports.com | date=2023-12-25 | url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/patriots-vs-broncos-score-takeaways-new-england-spoils-denvers-frantic-comeback-with-late-field-goal/live/ | access-date=2024-07-28}}
In total, Ryland made 16 of 25 field goal attempts (64%) and 24 of 25 extra point attempts (96%) in the 2023 NFL season;{{Cite web |title=Chad Ryland 2023 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RylaCh00/gamelog/2023/ |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} his field goal percentage was the lowest in the league among qualified kickers.
On August 27, 2024, Ryland was waived by the Patriots as part of the final roster cuts after losing the kicking job to Joey Slye.{{cite web|title=Patriots Make Roster Moves to Reach the 53-Man Roster Limit|url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-release-16-players-place-three-players-on-injured-reserve|website=Patriots.com|date=August 27, 2024}}
=Arizona Cardinals=
Ryland was signed to the Arizona Cardinals practice squad on October 2, 2024.{{cite web |title=Chad Ryland: Joins Cardinals' practice squad |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/chad-ryland-joins-cardinals-practice-squad/ |website=CBS Sports |access-date=3 October 2024}} On October 15, he was signed to the active roster following an injury to Matt Prater.{{cite web |title=Cardinals' Chad Ryland: Replaces injured Prater on roster |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/cardinals-chad-ryland-replaces-injured-prater-on-roster/ |website=CBS Sports |access-date=16 October 2024}} He was named NFC special teams player of the month in October after kicking 3 game-winning field goals and going 8-9 overall.{{Cite web |title=Chad Ryland Heroics Earn NFC Player Of Month Honor |url=https://www.azcardinals.com/news/chad-ryland-heroics-earn-nfc-special-teams-player-of-month-honor |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=www.azcardinals.com |language=en-US}}
NFL career statistics
| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
! colspan="2"| Legend |
| Bold
| Career high |
{{NFL kicking stats start}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
| 17 || 16 || 25 || 64.0 || 0 || 56 || 24 || 25 || 96.0 || 60 || 63.6 || 39 || 72
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 13 || 28 || 32 || 87.5 || 1 || 58 || 26 || 27 || 96.3 || 59 || 65.3 || 47 || 99
|-
! colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RylaCh00.htm Total] !! 30 !! 44 !! 57 !! 77.2 !! 1 !! 58 !! 50 !! 52 !! 96.2 !! 119 !! 64.4 !! 86 !! 171
|}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{footballstats|espn=4363538}}
- [https://umterps.com/sports/football/roster/chad-ryland/10381 Maryland Terrapins bio]
{{Patriots2023DraftPicks}}
{{Arizona Cardinals roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ryland, Chad}}
Category:American football placekickers
Category:Sportspeople from Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Category:Players of American football from Pennsylvania
Category:Eastern Michigan Eagles football players
Category:Maryland Terrapins football players
Category:New England Patriots players