Tag: Zane Gonzalez

Panthers sign K Zane Gonzalez to two-year extension

The Panthers may have finally found their kicker and Zane Gonzalez may have finally found a home.

Heading into the 2021 season, the Carolina Panthers had trouble finding a stable kicker and Zane Gonzalez had trouble finding a stable home. Now, they’ve found each other.

On Wednesday morning, the team announced a two-year extension for the 26-year-old—a deal reportedly worth $4.5 million according to Joseph Person of The Athletic.

Gonzalez got his footing down in Carolina, where he successfully booted through 20 of his 22 field goal attempts and 22 of his 23 extra points in 2021. Before succumbing to a season-ending quad injury during pregame warmups against the Buffalo Bills in Week 15, Gonzalez had converted on 17 straight field goals while picking up a pair of NFC Special Teams Player of the Week nods in the process.

This, of course, is a much-welcomed pact for the Panthers—who went on a little adventure trying to get themselves a kicker at the beginning of the season. After juggling through names such as Joey Slye, Dominik Eberle and Ryan Santoso, Carolina was able to trust the position with Gonzalez as he solidified himself throughout an impressive campaign.

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Panthers DE Brian Burns named starter for 2022 Pro Bowl

The Panthers got themselves a Pro Bowl starter in Brian Burns. And that’s all fine and dandy, but was Haason Reddick snubbed?

The ravenous pass-rushing duo of Haason Reddick and Brian Burns have been a package deal for the Carolina Panthers this season. But that package may be traveling a bit lighter to Las Vegas come Feb. 6.

On Wednesday night, the NFL announced its rosters for the 2022 Pro Bowl. Amongst the NFC’s starters was Burns, who will make the trip to the all-star festivities for the first time in his three-year career.

The 2019 16th overall selection has continued to grow into his billing for Carolina. Through 13 games in 2021, he’s already matched his career-high in sacks at 9.0 with 17 quarterback hits and a pair of forced fumbles.

He’s second only on the team in sacks to Reddick, who was named a first alternate. The fifth-year defender was the leading vote-getter at the outside linebacker position for the NFC and will be the first option up if one of Chandler Jones, Robert Quinn or Shaquil Barrett cannot play. Reddick currently boasts 11.0 sacks to go alongside his 18 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles.

The Panthers got a bit more representation as well, with cornerback Stephon Gilmore being named a first alternate, safety Jeremy Chinn a third alternate and kicker Zane Gonzalez a fifth alternate.

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Panthers to place K Zane Gonzalez on IR

2021 is over for K Zane Gonzalez, who proved to be a nice little bright spot for the Panthers in an otherwise dim season.

One of the better stories for the Carolina Panthers in 2021 had its final chapter written on Wednesday.

In an expected step, as first reported by NFL network insider Ian Rapoport, the team will place kicker Zane Gonzalez on the injured reserve. With just three games remaining, the move effectively puts an end to Gonzalez’s standout campaign.

The fifth-year veteran, who had to be helped off the Highmark Stadium field this past Sunday, injured his quad in pregame warmups of the Week 15 matchup with the Buffalo Bills. Luckily though, as also noted by Rapoport, the setback is not as serious as was initially believed.

Gonzalez’s absence forced the Panthers to not only keep its offense out on the field for additional fourth downs and two-point attempts during the loss, but it also saw wide receiver Brandon Zylstra assume kickoff duties. That won’t continue to be the case moving forward, though, as Carolina added an actual kicker in Lirim Hajrullahu on Tuesday.

An in-season signing ahead of the team’s Week 2 contest against the New Orleans Saints, Gonzalez finally gave the Panthers a much needed dose of stability at the position. He finishes 2021 having converted on 20 of his 22 field goals and 22 of his 23 extra points.

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Carolina Panthers vs. Buffalo Bills game recap: Everything we know

Even after sticking pretty tough on the Bills, the Panthers were frozen out of a win in Buffalo on Sunday.

If you weren’t expecting much out of the Carolina Panthers in their Week 15 tilt against the Buffalo Bills, then you probably had an uneventful viewing experience. Congratulations?

Well, here are the events that really did go down during this matchup on Sunday.

The Panthers tried out a running back, linebacker and wide receiver at kicker after an injury

Let’s see how this goes!

The hits just keep on coming for the Panthers. They’ve had quarterback problems, injury problems, coaching problems and now a kicker problem going into their game against the Buffalo Bills.

Starting kicker Zane Gonzalez was apparently injured prior to the game, leaving the Panthers shorthanded in the kicking department right before kickoff. They’ll probably end up using punter Lachlan Edwards, but they also had some alternative solutions just in case.

A linebacker, a running back and a wide receiver are apparently the emergency options for the Panthers today if they need an option.

Nothing has been easy for the Panthers this year and it looks like it’s just going to get harder.

Just go for it on every fourth down, your season is already over. Who cares.

Panthers lose kicker Zane Gonzalez in pregame warmups

The Panthers lost kicker Zane Gonzalez in warmups before facing the Bills

Things have not been going well for the Carolina Panthers. They got worse Sunday … before kicking off against the Buffalo Bills.

Kicker Zane Gonzalez goes down with a quad injury in pregame warmups and that leaves the Panthers minus one kicker.

You say use the punter, right? Lachlan Edwards grew up in Australia and has never kicked field goals or PATs or anything else that involves kicking and not punting.

In 12 games with the Panthers, Gonzalez has connected on 20 of 22 field-goal attempts with a long of 57 yards and made 22 of 23 extra points.

Send in the tryouts:

Watch: Panthers hold kicker tryouts during Week 15 pregame warmups

Watch as the Panthers try out a handful of kicking hopefuls less than an hour before their Week 15 contest.

With everything that has gone down between the Jacksonville Jaguars and now former head coach Urban Meyer, it’s really difficult to find a hotter mess in the NFL right now. But the Carolina Panthers may ask the Jaguars to hold their beer.

As if using an obnoxious two-quarterback approach after firing your offensive coordinator while riding an embarrassing three-game losing streak wasn’t enough, the Panthers lost kicker Zane Gonzalez to a quad injury during warmups on Sunday. The absence of Gonzalez, who’s been one of the few highlights of a dim 2021 campaign, then led to Carolina having to hold pregame tryouts for the vacant kicking duties.

And, uh, well . . .

The Panthers gauged the “services” of punter Lachlan Edwards, wide receiver Brandon Zylstra, running back Reggie Bonnafon and quarterback P.J. Walker prior to the Week 15 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. None of them, by the way (even Edwards), has attempted a field goal in their NFL careers.

Should be a fun one today, folks!

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Panthers K Zane Gonzalez injured during Week 15 warmups

If K Zane Gonzalez cannot go in Week 15, the Panthers may have to risk it for the biscuit all day against the Bills.

As we just mentioned in regards to today’s inactives, the Carolina Panthers need all hands on deck if they want to pull off a monumental upset of the Buffalo Bills. Well, what about all feet?

One of the most important foots on the team, which belongs to kicker Zane Gonzalez, may not be on that deck for the Week 15 matchup. As first noted by Joseph Person of The Athletic, Gonzalez was helped off the field during pregame warmups with an apparent leg injury.

This is, obviously, one heck of a development for Carolina in what’s been a season full of unfortunate turns. Gonzalez has served as one of the few consistent bright spots for the team, as he’s made 20 of his 22 field goal attempts and 22 of his 23 extra points.

If Gonzalez cannot go, punter Lachlan Edwards may have to take up the kicking duties. Backup quarterback P.J. Walker also has prior kicking experience back from high school.

This may, additionally, alter the approach for head coach Matt Rhule. Look for the Panthers to, perhaps, forgo field goal and extra point attempts in favor of fourth-down tries and two-point conversions with these now less-than-ideal conditions.

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Panthers’ Brian Burns, Stephon Gilmore in top 10 of Pro Bowl voting

Haason Reddick could have a few teammates on the way to help him represent the Panthers in the 2022 Pro Bowl.

Unfortunately for the Carolina Panthers, at least in this very moment, the only representation they have amongst the leaders in 2022 Pro Bowl voting is Haason Reddick.

Reddick, who has thus far garnered north of 61,000 votes, is currently the leading vote-getter for the NFC’s outside linebacker spot. But, some help may be on the way.

As reported by Joseph Person of The Athletic, Carolina has a trio of players gaining steam on the ballot. That includes defensive end Brian Burns, cornerback Stephon Gilmore and kicker Zane Gonzalez—who are each in the top 10 of their respective races.

The ranks, through the second returns, are as follows:

  • Burns: fourth overall, second in NFC
  • Gonzalez: eighth overall, fourth in NFC
  • Gilmore: ninth overall, seventh in NFC

Each man, even Gilmore, has made their respective case for a ticket to the all-star festivities. Burns is tied for eighth in the NFL in sacks (8.0), Gonzalez hasn’t missed a kick since Week 4 and Gilmore has been absolutely lights outs in his limited time with Carolina.

Stick tight, Haason. The reinforcements could be soon approaching.

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Panthers K Zane Gonzalez named NFC’s special teams player of the week

Panthers K Zane Gonzalez, once again your NFC special teams player of the week, has not missed a kick over his last 24 tries.

If you thought, heading into the regular season, that the Carolina Panthers would have the NFC’s special teams player of the week on multiple occasions—then raise your hand.

Yeah, didn’t think so.

For the second time in the last three games, Panthers kicker Zane Gonzalez has brought home the conference’s special teams player of the week honors. And this one, as compared to his first nod against the Atlanta Falcons back in Week 8, may be a bit sweeter.

The fifth-year boot nailed all his six kicks in Sunday’s 34-10 triumph over his former employer, the Arizona Cardinals. Four of those tries were of the three-point variety—with makes from 44, 48, 49 and 27 yards out.

Gonzalez, now, has not missed a kick over his past six outings. He has been successful on each of his last 24 overall attempts, pushing his season clips to 19-of-21 on field goals (90.5 percent) and 15-of-16 on extra points (93.8 percent).

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