Justin Rohrwasser
{{Short description|American football player (born 1996)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Justin Rohrwasser
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_team =
| number = 5
| position = Placekicker
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|12|7}}
| birth_place = Clifton Park, New York, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 230
| high_school = Catholic Central
(Troy, New York)
| college = {{ubl|Rhode Island (2015–2016)|Marshall (2017–2019)}}
| draftyear = 2020
| draftround = 5
| draftpick = 159
| undraftedyear =
| pastteams =
- New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|2020}}–{{NFL Year|2021}})*
| status =
| highlights =
- First team All-Conference USA (2019)
| statleague = NFL
| statseason =
| statweek =
| statlabel1 =
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| statvalue2 =
| statlabel3 =
| statvalue3 =
| pfr = RohrJu00
}}
Justin Rohrwasser (born December 7, 1996) is an American former professional football placekicker. He played college football at Marshall and was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL draft.
College career
Rohrwasser played the first two years of his college career at the University of Rhode Island before transferring to Marshall University. At Rhode Island, he made 75% of his field goal attempts and 98% of his extra point attempts.{{Cite web |last=Yang |first=Nicole |date=April 25, 2020 |title=The Patriots select Justin Rohrwasser with 159th overall pick in 2020 NFL Draft |url=https://www.boston.com/sports/new-england-patriots/2020/04/25/patriots-draft-justin-rohrwasser |access-date=April 25, 2020 |website=Boston.com}} In 2019, in his redshirt senior season with Marshall, he made 85.7% of his kicks with a long of 53 yards.{{Cite web |last=Mason |first=Chris |date=April 25, 2020 |title=Patriots draft Justin Rohrwasser, kicker from Marshall, in fifth round of 2020 NFL Draft |url=https://www.masslive.com/patriots/2020/04/patriots-draft-justin-rohrwasser-kicker-from-marshall-in-fifth-round-of-2020-nfl-draft.html |access-date=April 25, 2020 |website=MassLive}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 2 5/8
| weight = 234
| arm span = 32 1/8
| hand span = 8 7/8
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1017948&DraftYear=2020 |title=Justin Rohrwasser College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=November 18, 2024}}
}}
The New England Patriots selected Rohrwasser in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL draft with the 159th overall pick. He was the first of three kickers selected.{{Cite web |title=2020 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2020/draft.htm |access-date=2025-05-12 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} The move came a few weeks after they released kicker Stephen Gostkowski, who had been the Patriots kicker since 2006.{{Cite web |last=Schwab |first=Frank |date=April 25, 2020 |title=Patriots replace Stephen Gostkowski before Tom Brady, take a kicker in the fifth round |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/patriots-replace-stephen-gostkowski-before-tom-brady-take-a-kicker-in-the-fifth-round-195414928.html |access-date=April 25, 2020 |website=Yahoo! Sports}}
In the middle of training camp, the Patriots signed Nick Folk, who had played for the team in 2019, as competition to Rohrwasser. Rohrwasser was waived as part of the team's final cutdowns on September 5, 2020.{{Cite web |date=September 5, 2020 |title=Report: Patriots Releasing Kicker Justin Rohrwasser |url=https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/09/05/patriots-releasing-kicker-justin-rohrwasser/ |access-date=September 5, 2020 |website=CBS Boston |language=en-US}} He was signed to the practice squad the following day.{{Cite web |last=Dussault |first=Mike |date=September 6, 2020 |title=Analysis: Breaking down Patriots initial 2020 practice squad |url=https://www.patriots.com/news/analysis-breaking-down-patriots-initial-2020-practice-squad |access-date=September 6, 2020 |website=New England Patriots}} He signed a reserve/future contract on January 4, 2021.{{Cite web |date=January 4, 2021 |title=Patriots Sign 10 Players to Future Contracts |url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-sign-10-players-to-future-contracts |access-date=March 24, 2021 |website=Patriots.com}} On March 23, 2021, Rohrwasser was waived by the Patriots.{{Cite web |date=March 23, 2021 |title=Patriots Re-Sign K Nick Folk; Sign DL Davon Godchaux; Release Three Players |url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-re-sign-k-nick-folk-sign-dl-davon-godchaux-release-three-players |access-date=March 24, 2021 |website=Patriots.com}}
Controversy
Upon his selection, Rohrwasser was scrutinized for having a tattoo of the logo of the Three Percenters, a far-right paramilitary group. The Three Percenters have been condemned by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League as a white supremacist hate group.{{Cite web |title=Three Percenters |url=https://www.adl.org/resources/glossary-terms/three-percenters |access-date=March 24, 2021 |website=Anti-Defamation League |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Antigovernment Movement |url=https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/ideology/antigovernment |access-date=March 24, 2021 |website=Southern Poverty Law Center |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Michel |first=Casey |date=August 17, 2017 |title=How Militias Became the Private Police for White Supremacists |url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/08/17/white-supremacists-militias-private-police-215498/ |access-date=April 25, 2020 |website=Politico}} Rohrwasser claimed to have no links to the organization and denounced it. He further claimed that when he received the tattoo he thought the symbol represented military support.{{Cite web |last=Previte |first=Samantha |date=April 24, 2020 |title=Patriots Kicker Justin Rohrwasser to Cover 'Three Percenter' Tattoo |url=https://nypost.com/2020/04/25/patriots-kicker-justin-rohrwasser-to-cover-three-percenter-tattoo/ |access-date=April 25, 2020 |website=New York Post}} Some commentators questioned whether his denial of previous links with the group was authentic.{{Cite web |last=Barrow |first=Eric |date=April 25, 2020 |title=Patriots Draft Pick Justin Rohrwasser's Ignorance About 3 Percenters Isn't Believable |url=https://deadspin.com/justin-rohrwassers-ignorance-about-3-percenters-isnt-be-1843089092 |access-date=April 25, 2020 |website=Deadspin}} On April 27, 2020, Rohrwasser pledged to have the tattoo removed completely and did so in December 2020.{{Cite web |last=Reiss |first=Mike |date=April 28, 2020 |title=Patriots draftee Justin Rohrwasser to remove controversial tattoo |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29106692/patriots-draftee-justin-rohrwasser-remove-controversial-tattoo |access-date=March 24, 2021 |website=ESPN.com}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://herdzone.com/sports/football/roster/justin-rohrwasser/5412 Marshall Thundering Herd bio]
{{Patriots2020DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rohrwasser, Justin}}
Category:American football placekickers
Category:Marshall Thundering Herd football players
Category:New England Patriots players
Category:People from Clifton Park, New York
Category:Players of American football from New York (state)