Ryan Fitzgerald (American football)
{{short description|American football player}}
{{for multi|the ice hockey player|Ryan Fitzgerald (ice hockey)|the baseball player|Ryan Fitzgerald (baseball)|the media personality and Australian rules footballer|Ryan Fitzgerald}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
|name=Ryan Fitzgerald
|image=
|caption=
|currentteam=Carolina Panthers
|number=
|position=Kicker
|birth_date=
|birth_place=Coolidge, Georgia, U.S.
|height_ft=5
|height_in=11
|weight_lb=193
|highlights=
- First-team All-American (2024)
- Second team All-ACC (2024)
- Third team All-ACC (2023)
|high_school=Colquitt County (Colquitt County, Georgia)
|college=Florida State (2019–2024)
|undraftedyear=2025
|pastteams=
- Carolina Panthers ({{nfly|2025}}–present)
|status=Undrafted free agent
}}
Ryan Fitzgerald is an American college football kicker for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles.
Early life
Fitzgerald attended Colquitt County High School in Colquitt County, Georgia. He was rated as a three-star recruit and committed to play college football for the Florida State Seminoles.{{cite web |last1=McGahee III |first1=Wayne |title=Three-star kicker Ryan Fitzgerald signs with Florida State |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/college/fsu/football/2019/02/06/three-star-kicker-ryan-fitzgerald-signs-florida-state/2779666002/ |website=Tallahassee Democrat |date=6 February 2019 |access-date=November 19, 2024}}
College career
Fitzgerald took a redshirt in 2019.{{cite web |last1=Mire |first1=Tommy |title=FSU Football Veteran Kicker Ryan Fitzgerald Returning for 2024 Season |url=https://www.si.com/college/fsu/football/fsu-veteran-kicker-ryan-fitzgerald-returning-for-2024-season |work=Florida State Seminoles on SI |publisher=SI.com |date=5 January 2024 |access-date=November 19, 2024}} In his first season as starter in 2020, he hit four of his seven field goals while also making all 12 extra point attempts.{{cite web |last1=Camenmaker |first1=Jacob |title=Who is Ryan Fitzgerald? FSU kicker shows off big leg with 59-yard field goal vs. Georgia Tech |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/ryan-fitzgerald-fsu-kicker-59-yard-field-goal-georgia-tech/fefac29704905f2589a40288 |website=Sporting News |date=24 August 2024 |access-date=November 19, 2024}} In week 5 of the 2021 season, Fitzgerald made the game-winning 34-yard field goal to help the Seminoles beat Syracuse.{{cite web |last1=Fernandez |first1=Andre |title='I got this': FSU kicker Ryan Fitzgerald validates coaches' faith with game-winning kick |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/college/fsu/football/2021/10/02/fsu-seminoles-florida-state-ryan-fitzgerald-noles-syracuse-kicker-field-goal-orange-mike-norvell/5882384001/ |website=Tallahassee Democrat |date=2 October 2021 |access-date=November 19, 2024}} He finished the season making 10 of 13 field goal attempts and converting on 37 of 40 extra point attempts.{{cite web |last1=Tully |first1=Jonathan |title=How Ryan Fitzgerald's confidence-boosting field goal was set up by a cool Seminoles trick play on a punt |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/college/fsu/football/2022/10/08/ryan-fitzgeralds-big-halftime-field-goal-fsu-how-set-up/8226690001/ |website=Tallahassee Democrat |date=8 October 2022 |access-date=November 19, 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Leuzzi |first1=John |title=Watch: Florida State kicker Ryan Fitzgerald boots 59-yard field goal to tie game at half |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/college/fsu/football/2024/08/24/florida-state-who-is-ryan-fitzgerald-59-yard-field-goal-highlight/74936123007/ |website=Tallahassee Democrat |date=24 August 2024 |access-date=November 19, 2024}} In the 2022 Cheez-It Bowl, Fitzgerald made two of three field goals, including the game-winning 32-yard field goal, in a win over Oklahoma.{{cite web |last1=Kassim |first1=Ehsan |title=FSU football: Ryan Fitzgerald kicks Seminoles to Cheez-It Bowl victory over Oklahoma |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/college/fsu/football/2022/12/30/fsu-football-ryan-fitzgerald-kicks-seminoles-to-cheez-it-bowl-victory-over-ou/69743634007/ |website=Tallahassee Democrat |date=30 December 2022 |access-date=November 19, 2024}} During the 2022 season, he hit 12 of 20 field goal attempts and made 57 of 58 extra points.{{cite web |last1=Kassim |first1=Ehsan |title=Kicker Ryan Fitzgerald finds his 'why,' confidence for Florida State football now thriving |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/college/fsu/football/2023/09/19/fsu-football-how-kick-ryan-fitzgerald-has-improved-from-last-season/70887325007/ |website=Tallahassee Democrat |date=19 September 2023 |access-date=November 19, 2024}} In 2023, Fitzgerald made 19 of 21 field goals and converted on all 58 of his extra point attempts.{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Dustin |title=Standout Specialists Alex Mastromanno, Ryan Fitzgerald Named to National Watch Lists |url=https://www.si.com/college/fsu/florida-state-seminoles-college-football/standout-fsu-football-specialists-alex-mastromanno-ryan-fitzgerald-named-to-national-watch-lists-2024 |work=Florida State Seminoles on SI |publisher=SI.com |date=3 August 2024 |access-date=November 19, 2024}} In week zero of the 2024 season, he was named the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) special teams player of the week after converting on his one extra point attempt and two fifty yard field goals, including a career-long 59-yard field goal versus Georgia Tech.{{cite web |title=Florida State football's Ryan Fitzgerald, Shyheim Brown earn ACC Player of the Week honors |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/college/fsu/football/2024/08/26/florida-state-football-kicker-ryan-fitzgerald-safety-shyheim-brown-acc-player-of-the-week/74959663007/ |website=Tallahassee Democrat |date=26 August 2024 |access-date=November 19, 2024}} Fitzgerald accepted an invite to play in the 2025 Senior Bowl.{{cite web |last1=Holland Jr. |first1=Peter |title=FSU football kicker Ryan Fitzgerald accepts invite to Reese's Senior Bowl 2025 |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/college/fsu/football/2024/11/13/ryan-fitzgerald-fsu-football-reese-senior-bowl-mobile-alabama/76255420007/ |website=Tallahassee Democrat |date=13 November 2024 |access-date=November 19, 2024}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 11
| weight = 193
| arm span = 30
| hand span = 8 1/8
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/ryan-fitzgerald/32004649-5448-5574-3c12-a7034437623a |title=Ryan Fitzgerald Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=April 13, 2025}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1051919&DraftYear=2025 |title=Ryan Fitzgerald College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=April 13, 2025}}
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://seminoles.com/sports/football/roster/ryan-fitzgerald/6910 Florida State Seminoles bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fitzgerald, Ryan}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Players of American football from Thomas County, Georgia