Commanders’ Zane Gonzalez hits ‘doink’ shot for win

In many ways, the ‘doink’ field goal Sunday night tells the story of Zane Gonzalez in the NFL. The Washington Commanders’ kicker’s career hasn’t been a beauty. Yet, the Mexican American has bounced around enough to be successful.

The Commanders signed him to their practice squad last Nov. 9. Until they put him on the active roster on Nov. 14, he had not kicked in a regular season NFL game since December 2021.

More from Our Esquina

Five Latinos to watch in the NFL playoffs

Texans Mariachi brings fiesta to NRG Stadium

Tom Flores Brought Latinos on Hall of Fame Journey

In between his last field goal for the Carolina Panthers in 2021 and his first for the Commanders in November, he had been placed on the injured reserve and then signed and released by the Panthers and 49ers multiple times.

Zane Gonzalez is now etched in Washington Commanders lore, though. He nailed three field goals on Sunday to help beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20. His walk-off shot off the right upright sealed the NFL Wild Card victory as time expired.

‘Crazy’ winner by Zane Gonzalez

“That’s crazy,” Commanders offensive lineman Sam Cosmi told the media. “That’s ‘winning-time’ football right there for you.”

Gonzalez, 29, has always been good enough to garner interest since the Cleveland Browns picked him in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Arizona State. 

He made 15 of his 20 field goal attempts as a rookie in 2017 with a long of 54 yards.  The Browns released him early in the 2018 season after he made only two of five attempts in the first two games of that season. Gonzalez then caught on with the Arizona Cardinals. 

An unforgettable moment for @Commanders kicker Zane Gonzalez 🫶👏 pic.twitter.com/fTIiu0jyN4

— NFL (@NFL) January 13, 2025

Gonzalez made 7 of 9 field goal attempts with a long of 55 yards over five games with the Cardinals in 2018. He then spent the entire 2019 season in Arizona. Zane Gonzalez made 31 of 35 field goals in 2019 for a career-best 88.9 field goal percentage.

He played 12 games for the Cardinals in 2020 until he was placed on injured reserve in December of that season. Gonzalez spent part of preseason in 2021 with the Detroit Lions, but he didn’t stick. Fortunately for him, the Panthers signed him on Sept. 14, 2021. 

He played 12 games for the Panthers in 2021, setting a new career high with a 57-yard field goal in Week 8 of that season. The 52-yard field goal Gonzalez hit to open the scoring Sunday was his longest made field goal since that 57-yarder for the Panthers.

Former Lou Groza Award winner

On Sunday he showed the form that earned him the 2016 Lou Groza Award winner at Arizona State as the best kicker in college football. He hit field goals of 52 yards, 22 yards and then the winning kick from 37 yards. The winning shot went off the right upright for the ‘doink’ shot.

The Deer Park, Texas, native also became the first kicker in Commanders franchise history to make at least three field goals in a playoff game in 33 years. The last time a Washington kicker nailed three field goals in the playoffs, the Commanders were known as the Redskins.

Chip Lohmiller nailed three fields in Washingtons’ 37-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVI on Jan. 26, 1992. Those conditions at the Metrodome in 1992 were indoors for Lohmiller. Gonzalez was outdoors at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.