Ramiz Ahmed
{{Short description|American football player (born 1995)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Ramiz Ahmed
| image = Ramiz Ahmed (53686417998) (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Ahmed with the Birmingham Stallions in 2024
| current_team =
| number =
| position = Kicker
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|7|27}}
| birth_place = Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lb = 193
| high_school = Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
| college = Nevada (2017–2018)
| undraftedyear = 2019
| pastteams =
- Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|2020}})*
- Pittsburgh Maulers ({{USFL Year|2022}})
- Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|2022}})
- Birmingham Stallions ({{UFL Year|2024}})
- Washington Commanders ({{NFL Year|2024}})*
| status =
| highlights =
| pfr = AhmeRa00
}}
Ramiz Ahmed (born July 27, 1995) is an American football kicker who is a free agent. He played college football for the Nevada Wolf Pack and holds the record for the longest field goal in USFL history at 61 yards. Ahmed has also been a member of the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, and Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL).
Early life
A Las Vegas native, Ahmed originally attended Faith Lutheran High School, where he played on the varsity soccer team as a freshman.{{cite news|url=https://www.rgj.com/story/sports/college/nevada/2017/09/14/ramiz-ahmed-goes-nevada-student-wolf-pack-starter-three-weeks/666803001/|title=Ramiz Ahmed goes from Nevada student to Wolf Pack starter in three weeks|work=Reno Gazette-Journal|first=Chris|last=Murray|date=September 14, 2017|access-date=April 4, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/ramiz-ahmed/ZCcqz_TmEeKZ5AAmVebBJg/soccer/stats.htm|title=Ramiz Ahmed's Soccer Stats|publisher=MaxPreps|access-date=April 4, 2022}} He did not play football until his second year, when he transferred to Bishop Gorman High School and joined their team as a kicker. Ahmed was the starter on the 2013 state championship team, making 6-of-11 field goals, 71-of-74 PATs and hitting 67 touchbacks in 93 attempts.
College career
Ahmed first attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) before transferring to Arizona State University (ASU), though he did not play football at either school.{{cite news|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2020/5/27/21271531/bears-kicker-ramiz-ahmed-eddy-pineiro-2020-nevada-wolfpack-reno-ryan-pace-cody-parkey-derby-compete|title=How Ramiz Ahmed went from a college tryout to the Bears' latest kicker|work=Chicago Sun-Times|first=Patrick|last=Finley|date=May 27, 2020|access-date=April 5, 2022}} Ahmed transferred again in January 2017, this time to the University of Nevada, Reno, where he made the Wolf Pack football team as a walk-on. Though he struggled with inconsistency on field goals, Ahmed's powerful right leg caught the team's attention at a student tryout conducted six days before the season opener. "He came out just banging the ball, just destroying it," said special teams coordinator Tommy Perry, who compared his kicks to "a shotgun going off." By this time he was a junior, Ahmed had to wait a few weeks to get cleared before making his college debut as the Wolf Pack's starting kickoff specialist in their second game against Toledo. He recorded three touchbacks in three attempts and was named the team's special teams player of the week for his performance. In total, Ahmed had 28 touchbacks in 55 attempts and earned academic all-conference honors in his first season.
During his senior year, Ahmed became the starting kicker. He made 15 of 20 field goals and 40 of 44 PATs.{{Cite web|url=https://nevadawolfpack.com/sports/football/roster/ramiz-ahmed/3511|title= 26 – Ramiz Ahmed|website=nevadawolfpack.com}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 11 1/4
| weight = 182
| dash =
| ten split =
| twenty split =
| shuttle =
| cone drill =
| vertical =
| broad ft =
| broad in =
| bench =
| arm span = 29 7/8
| hand span = 9 1/2
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |url=http://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1029038&DraftYear=2019 |title=2019 Draft Scout Ramiz Ahmed, Nevada NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |website=draftscout.com |access-date=September 3, 2022}}
}}
=Chicago Bears=
On April 17, 2020, he signed with the Chicago Bears as competition for Eddy Piñeiro.{{Cite web|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2020/4/21/21222212/chicago-bears-2-breaking-news-roster-schedule-stats-salary-cap-mitch-trubisky-nick-foles-matt-nagy|title=Kicker drama is back as Bears plan competition between Eddy Pineiro, Ramiz Ahmed|last=Lieser|first=Jason|date=April 21, 2020|website=Chicago Sun-Times|language=en|access-date=April 23, 2020}}{{Cite web |last=Ellis |first=Cam |date=April 17, 2020 |title=Bears sign Ramiz Ahmed to compete with Eddy Pineiro for the starting kicker job |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/bears-sign-ramiz-ahmed-compete-eddy-pineiro-starting-kicker-job |access-date=November 14, 2022 |website=RSN |language=en}} On August 11, Ahmed was waived, making Piñeiro the Bears' kicker for the 2020 season.{{Cite web|title=Roster Move: Bears waive kicker Ramiz Ahmed|url=https://www.chicagobears.com/news/roster-move-bears-waive-kicker-ramiz-ahmed|access-date=September 6, 2020|website=chicagobears.com|language=en-US}}
=Pittsburgh Maulers=
On March 10, 2022, Ahmed was drafted by the Pittsburgh Maulers of the United States Football League in the seventh round of the 2022 USFL supplemental draft.{{cite web |url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/usfl/usfl-draft-supplemental-pick-results |title=USFL DRAFT 2022: SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT PICK-BY-PICK RESULTS |date=March 10, 2022 |work=Fox Sports |access-date=March 11, 2022}}{{Cite web |date=March 12, 2022 |title=USFL Draft 2022: Supplemental Draft pick-by-pick results |url=https://www.americanfootballinternational.com/usfl-draft-2022-supplemental-draft-pick-by-pick-results/ |access-date=November 14, 2022 |website=American Football International |language=en-US}}
In Week 8, Ahmed made a 61-yard field goal against the New Jersey Generals, marking as the longest field goal in USFL history.{{Cite web |date=June 4, 2022 |title=Pittsburgh Maulers' Ramiz Ahmed kicks 61-yard field goal in USFL game |url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/06/04/pittsburgh-maulers-ramiz-ahmed-kicks-61-yard-field-goal-in-usfl-game/ |access-date=November 14, 2022 |website=ProFootballTalk |language=en-US}}
=Green Bay Packers=
On August 14, 2022, Ahmed signed with the Green Bay Packers.{{cite web |url=https://www.packers.com/news/packers-sign-k-ramiz-ahmed |title=Packers sign K Ramiz Ahmed |date=August 14, 2022 |website=packers.com |access-date=August 14, 2022 |archive-date=September 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220901105653/https://www.packers.com/news/packers-sign-k-ramiz-ahmed |url-status=dead }} He was waived on August 30, 2022.{{cite web |title=Press release: Packers announce roster moves|url=https://www.packers.com/news/packers-announce-roster-moves-aug-30-2022 |publisher=packers.com |access-date=August 30, 2022|date=August 30, 2022}} He was signed to the practice squad on September 5, 2022.{{cite web |title=Packers sign K Ramiz Ahmed to practice squad|url=https://www.packers.com/news/packers-sign-k-ramiz-ahmed-to-practice-squad-2022 |publisher=packers.com |access-date=September 5, 2022|date=September 5, 2022}} On November 12, 2022, he was elevated to the active roster for the game against the Dallas Cowboys.{{cite web|title=Packers sign CB Corey Ballentine to active roster|url=https://www.packers.com/news/packers-sign-cb-corey-ballentine-to-active-roster-wk-10-2022|website=packers.com|access-date=November 12, 2022|date=November 12, 2022}} He handled kickoffs as starter Mason Crosby dealt with a sore back, kicking off six times, three of which went for touchbacks.{{Cite news |last=Huber |first=Bill |title=Packers Elevating Kicker For Sunday vs. Cowboys; Here's Why |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/transactions/packers-elevating-kicker-ramiz-ahmed-for-sunday-vs-cowboys |access-date=November 14, 2022 |website=Sports Illustrated |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Ramiz Ahmed (K): Bio, News, Stats & more |url=https://www.packers.com/team/players-roster/ramiz-ahmed/logs/ |access-date=November 14, 2022 |website=packers.com |language=en-US}} On November 14, 2022, Ahmed was reverted to the Packers practice squad.{{Cite web |title=Ramiz Ahmed: Reverts to practice squad |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/ramiz-ahmed-reverts-to-practice-squad/ |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=CBSSports.com |date=November 14, 2022 |language=en}} On December 31, 2022, Ahmed was elevated to the active roster from the practice squad.{{cite web |url=https://www.packers.com/news/packers-elevate-k-ramiz-ahmed-rb-tyler-goodson-for-gameday-wk-17-2022|title=Packers elevate K Ramiz Ahmed, RB Tyler Goodson for gameday|date=December 31, 2022 |website=packers.com |access-date=December 31, 2022}} During warm-ups for the team's week seventeen game against the Minnesota Vikings Ahmed suffered a groin injury and did not play during the game despite being elevated to once again handle kickoff duties.{{Cite web |title=The Packers had two kickers active. Mason Crosby kicked and Ramiz Ahmed didn't. Here's why. |url=https://www.packersnews.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2023/01/02/heres-why-ramiz-ahmed-didnt-kick-despite-being-elevated-vs-vikings/69770437007/ |access-date=January 3, 2023 |website=Packers News |language=en-US}} After the game on January 2, 2023, Ahmed returned to the team's practice squad while the team signed fellow kicker Matt Ammendola.{{Cite web |title=Ramiz Ahmed: Back to practice squad Monday |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/ramiz-ahmed-back-to-practice-squad-monday/ |access-date=January 3, 2023 |website=CBSSports.com |date=January 3, 2023 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Packers sign TE Austin Allen, K Matt Ammendola to practice squad |url=https://www.packers.com/news/packers-sign-te-austin-allen-k-matt-ammendola-to-practice-squad-wk-18-2022 |access-date=January 3, 2023 |website=packers.com |language=en-US}} On January 16, 2023, Ahmed's contract with the team expired.{{Cite web |title=Ramiz Ahmed: Deal with Green Bay runs out |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/ramiz-ahmed-deal-with-green-bay-runs-out/ |access-date=January 18, 2023 |website=CBSSports.com |date=January 17, 2023 |language=en}}
= Birmingham Stallions =
On April 16, 2024, Ahmed signed with the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League (UFL).{{Cite web |title=UFL Transactions |url=https://uflboard.com/ufl-transactions/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=UFLBoard.com |language=en-US}} He was released on May 28.{{Cite web |title=UFL Transactions |url=https://uflboard.com/ufl-transactions/ |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=UFLBoard.com |language=en-US}}
= Washington Commanders =
Ahmed signed with the Washington Commanders on June 4, 2024.{{Cite web |date=June 4, 2024 |title=Commanders sign K Ramiz Ahmed |url=https://www.commanders.com/news/commanders-sign-k-ramiz-ahmed |access-date=4 June 2024 |website=Commanders.com}} He was released by Washington on August 13.{{cite web |title=Commanders sign WR Martavis Bryant, release K Ramiz Ahmed |url=https://www.commanders.com/news/commanders-sign-wr-martavis-bryant-release-k-ramiz-ahmed |website=Commanders.com |access-date=13 August 2024}}
File: Preseason Week 1- Commanders at Jets - 53917724808.jpg
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://nevadawolfpack.com/sports/football/roster/ramiz-ahmed/3511 Nevada Wolf Pack bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmed, Ramiz}}
Category:Players of American football from Las Vegas
Category:American football placekickers
Category:University of Nevada, Las Vegas alumni
Category:Arizona State University alumni
Category:Nevada Wolf Pack football players
Category:Chicago Bears players
Category:Pittsburgh Maulers (2022) players
Category:Green Bay Packers players
Category:Birmingham Stallions (2022) players