Greg Zuerlein (American football)

Greg Zuerlein (born December 27, 1987) is an American football placekicker for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League.

Early years
Zuerlein was born in Lincoln, Nebraska and graduated from Lincoln Pius X in 2006.

In 2004, Zuerlein set a Nebraska state record for field goals in a season, converting 12 of 16 attempts with a long of 52 yards. His play would earn him Nebraska All State and All Class honors as a junior and senior.

College career
He kicked for three seasons for the University of Nebraska-Omaha but sat out the 2010 season with a hip injury. Zuerlein set the UNO school record of 61 consecutive PATs while converting 19 of 26 field goal attempts.

UNO cancelled its football program in 2011 and he moved to another Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association school -- Missouri Western State University in 2011. There he set a NCAA Division II record of 21 consecutive field goals including nine that were 50 or more yards which in turn included two 58-yard field goals. He had a .952 field goal percentage completing 23 of 24 attempts—the highest of any NCAA player in any division with 12 or more attempts in 2011 as he averaged 10.7 points per game.

St. Louis Rams
Zuerlein was a Sixth Round Pick (171st Overall) in the 2012 NFL Draft. He was the first non Bowl Championship Series kicker to be picked since Stephen Gostkowski in 2006 and the first kicker below the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision since Paul Ernster in 2005. The Rams cut their primary kicker Josh Brown, who was in the final year of his $14.5 million five-year deal, after drafting Zuerlein.

In Week 3 against the Chicago Bears, Zuerlein made a 56-yard field goal, the longest at Soldier Field.

In Week 4, Zuerlein hit a 60-yard field goal against the Seattle Seahawks, which beat the franchise record of 58 yards, set by Zuerlein earlier in the same game. The kick broke Jeff Wilkins' 14-year record. He also became the first player in NFL history to make a 60-yard field goal and a 50-plus yarder in the same game.

In Week 6, Zuerlein missed 3 field goals wide left, the first two from 37 and 52 yards, and the final one at 66 yards to tie the game against the Miami Dolphins.

In Week 13, Greg Zuerlein made a 54-yard field goal with 26 seconds remaining in Overtime to give the Rams a 16-13 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at Edward Jones Dome. It was the second longest successful field goal in NFL Overtime history. The field goal was 3 yards short of tying the NFL Overtime record which is held by Sebastian Janikowski. In 2008, Janikowski set the NFL Overtime record with a 57-yard field goal to give the Oakland Raiders the win.

Due to his notorious ability to convert long field goals, he has been given the nickname, "Legatron".

NFL Records and Honors

 * NFC Special Teams Player of the Week - 2012 Season - Week 4
 * Longest Field Goal in Rams History: 60 yards
 * Longest Field Goal in NFL History, Rookie: 60 yards
 * Most 50 Yard Field Goals Attempted, Season: 13 (2012)
 * First player in NFL History to make a 60-yarder and a 50-plus yarder in one game.
 * First player in NFL History to make two field goals of 58+ yards in one game.
 * Longest Field Goal in the first quarter: 58 yards (tied with Nick Lowery)
 * Longest Field Goal in the third quarter: 60 yards