Max Zendejas
{{Short description|Mexican gridiron football player (born 1963)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Max Zendejas
| number = 14, 8
| position = Placekicker
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1963|9|2|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Curimeo, Mexico
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lb = 184
| high_school = Don Antonio Lugo {{nowrap|(Chino, California, U.S.)}}
| college = Arizona
| draftyear = 1986
| draftround = 4
| draftpick = 100
| pastteams =
- Dallas Cowboys (1986)*
- Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|1986}})
- Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|1987|1988}})
- Indianapolis Colts ({{NFL Year|1990}})*
- London Monarchs (1991)*
| highlights =
- 2× Second-team All-Pac-10 (1983, 1985)
| statlabel1 = Field goal attempts
| statvalue1 = 49
| statlabel2 = Field goals made
| statvalue2 = 34
| statlabel3 = Field goal %
| statvalue3 = 69.4
| pfr = Z/zendemax01
}}
Maximmillian Javier Zendejas (born September 2, 1963) is a Mexican former placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins and Green Bay Packers. He played college football at the University of Arizona.
Early life
Zendejas, was born in Curimeo, Mexico as one of nine children. His parents moved the family to Chino, California when he was 6 years old. Soccer was the main sport for the Zendejas family.
He attended Don Antonio Lugo High School, where he followed his older brother Luis footsteps, playing both football and soccer.{{Cite web |date=October 13, 1984 |title=Zendejas Sr. Wanted Sons to Play Soccer |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/10/13/Zendejas-Sr-Wanted-Sons-to-Play-Soccer/4025466488000/ |access-date=May 4, 2018 |website=UPI.com}} He did not begin to play football until his senior year, because he wanted to wait for Luis to graduate. That season, he made 4 field goals of over 50 yards.
College career
Zendejas accepted a football scholarship from the University of Arizona where he became a four-year starter. As a freshman in 1982, he made a 48-yard field goal with 6 seconds remaining in a 16–13 win over then No. 9 University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19821017&id=QYURAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KOIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6790,3980251 | title=Arizona's last-play field goal beats Notre Dame | accessdate=May 4, 2018}} The next year, he kicked a 45-yard field with 3 seconds left to beat Arizona State University 18–17 in Tempe, Arizona.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19831127&id=NdgeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kmgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2024,5224570 | title=Field Goal On Final Play Beats Sun Devils | accessdate=May 4, 2018}}
In 1985, he was chosen as the team's most valuable player when he led the conference with 22 field goals and was second with 89 points (behind John Lee). He was also the Sun Bowl MVP and received honorable-mention All-American honors.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=892&dat=19831206&id=kqRaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2k8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3598,1035972 | title=Pavlich named All-America | accessdate=May 4, 2018}}
Zendejas graduated after breaking almost every kicking record in school history, including career field goals (79), career points (360), career field goal percentage (.738), consecutive field goals made (11), season field goals (22) and career field goals over 50 yards (13).{{cite news| title=Zendejas (name familiar?) wants to kick for UA | publisher=The Tucson Citizen | author=John Moredich | date=August 6, 2007}} He finished tied for third on the NCAA career field goal list (77), fourth on the career scoring list (360) and tied the record for consecutive games with a field goal (18). Some of his most impressive statistics were that with the game on the line he made 5-of-6 field goals and his field goal percentage from 50 yards or more was 61% (14-of-23).
In 1999, he was inducted into the University of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame.
Professional career
=Dallas Cowboys=
Zendejas was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round (100th overall) of the 1986 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=1986 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1986/draft.htm |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} It is the highest position where Dallas has ever drafted a placekicker, because at the time the team was concerned about Rafael Septien's recurring back problems.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19860504&id=RY1dAAAAIBAJ&sjid=a1wNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5303,1061056 | title='Pokes Went Against the Book With Top Picks in 1986 | accessdate=May 4, 2018}} A healthy Septien won the preseason competition and Zendejas was waived on September 1.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19860903&id=ibVdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6V0NAAAAIBAJ&pg=3149,354193 | title=Septien Tells Uncertainty Until End | accessdate=May 4, 2018}}
=Washington Redskins=
On October 13, 1986, he was signed as a free agent by the Washington Redskins to take over Mark Moseley's role, who at the time was a 16-year veteran and the oldest kicker in the National Football League.{{cite news| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-10-14-sp-3262-story.html | work=Los Angeles Times | title=Redskins Cut Mark Moseley | date=October 14, 1986 | access-date=May 4, 2018}} Although he helped the Redskins to qualify for the playoffs by making a 27-yard field goal with four seconds left in a 20–17 win over the St. Louis Cardinals,{{cite news| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-12-01-sp-111-story.html | work=Los Angeles Times | title=Redskins Gain Spot in Playoffs: Zendejas' Late Kick Trips Cardinals, 20-17 | date=December 1, 1986 | access-date=May 4, 2018}} after missing five field goals and five extra point conversions in nine games, he was replaced with Jess Atkinson and was put on the injured reserve list with one week left in the regular season.{{cite news| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-12-17-sp-3165-story.html | work=Los Angeles Times | title=Names in the News | date=December 17, 1986 | access-date=May 4, 2018}} On August 20, 1987, he was released after losing the preseason kicking competition with Atkinson.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19870821&id=nvtNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=j4sDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2275,3665376 | title=Release of Zendejas ends kicking battle | accessdate=May 4, 2018}}
=Green Bay Packers=
After the players went on a strike on the third week of the 1987 season, those games were canceled (reducing the 16-game season to 15) and the NFL decided that the games would be played with replacement players. Zendejas was signed to be a part of the Green Bay Packers replacement team and was kept for the rest of the season, after making all of his 7 field goal attempts.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19871119&id=3EMxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nxIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4665,3801570 | title=Zendejas accepted by Pack | accessdate=May 4, 2018}} On November 11, he was activated to take over the kicking role in place of a struggling Al Del Greco. The team would later waive Del Greco on November 25.
In 1988, he tied a franchise record with four field goals in a victory over the Minnesota Vikings on October 16. He was released on October 25, after making 9 of 16 attempts and missing the game-tying field goal against the Washington Redskins with 11 seconds left in regulation.{{cite news| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-10-26-sp-202-story.html | work=Los Angeles Times | title=Zendejas Is Given Boot by Green Bay | date=October 26, 1988 | access-date=May 4, 2018}}
=Indianapolis Colts=
On July 24, 1990, he was signed by the Indianapolis Colts, who were protecting themselves in the case of an extended contract holdout by Dean Biasucci.{{cite news| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-07-25-sp-1287-story.html | work=Los Angeles Times | title=SIDELINES : Colts Sign Kicker Max Zendejas | date=July 25, 1990 | access-date=May 4, 2018}} He was waived on August 21.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1980&dat=19900822&id=i4YiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QaoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4449,4926261 | title=NFL holdouts impact team and individuals | accessdate=May 4, 2018}}
=London Monarchs=
In 1991, he was drafted by the London Monarchs of the World League of American Football,{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1980&dat=19910316&id=roUiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xKkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1289,4146870 | title=WLAF finding football has a language of its own | accessdate=May 4, 2018}} but was cut on March 17.{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1454&dat=19910318&id=vKMsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PBQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6089,1231678|date=March 19, 1991|publisher=Wilmington Morning Star|title=Zendejas cut again|accessdate=May 4, 2018}}
Personal life
His brothers Luis and Joaquin also played professional football.{{cite web|work=Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=http://www.profootballhof.com/assets/history/Brothers_Mar_28_2006.pdf |title=Brothers who played Pro Football |accessdate=July 30, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020074304/http://www.profootballhof.com/assets/history/Brothers_Mar_28_2006.pdf |archivedate=October 20, 2013 }} His nephew, Alex Zendejas Jr. was also a placekicker for the University of Arizona. His cousins Tony Zendejas and Marty Zendejas also had success in college and professional football.
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://arizonawildcats.com/sports/2013/12/12/209339943.aspx University Arizona Sports Hall of Fame bio]
{{Cowboys1986DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zendejas, Max}}
Category:Sportspeople from Michoacán
Category:Mexican players of American football
Category:American football placekickers
Category:Arizona Wildcats football players
Category:Green Bay Packers players
Category:Washington Redskins players
Category:NFL replacement players
Category:Mexican emigrants to the United States
Category:Players of American football from San Bernardino County, California
Category:People from Chino, California
Category:Expatriate players of American football