 Gostkowski in 2020 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 3 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Placekicker | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1984-01-28)January 28, 1984 (age 41) Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Madison Central (Madison, Mississippi) | ||||||||||||||
| College | Memphis (2002–2005) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2006: 4th round, 118th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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Stephen Carroll Gostkowski (/ɡɒstˈkaʊski/gost-KOW-skee;[1][a] born January 28, 1984) is an American former professionalfootballplacekicker who played in theNational Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons. A member of theNew England Patriots for most of his career, Gostkowski is the franchise's all-time leading scorer. He playedcollege football for theMemphis Tigers and was selected in the fourth round of the2006 NFL draft by the Patriots, where Gostkowski spent his first 14 seasons. In his final season, Gostkowski played for theTennessee Titans.
Gostkowski led the league in scoring five times during his career, including four consecutive from 2012 to 2015, and is the firstpost-merger player to lead the league in scoring for more than two consecutive seasons. He also holds the NFL record for consecutiveextra points.[3] Gostkowski was named to fourPro Bowls and two first-teamAll-Pros, and won threeSuper Bowl titles. He was inducted to theNational Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 2025.
Gostkowski graduated fromMadison Central High School inMadison, Mississippi, in 2002.[4] While there, he won four varsity letters each in football and soccer, and three in baseball, and was an All-State honoree in all three sports. Gostkowski holds the school record for longest field goal, a 55-yard kick. His teammates at Madison Central included former49ers executiveParys Haralson and formerSeahawkscenterChris Spencer. His opponents included formerAtlanta Falcons running backJerious Norwood, who returned one of Gostkowski's kickoffs from two yards deep in the end zone; Gostkowski raced him down at the 25-yard line to prevent a touchdown.[citation needed]
His most common nickname growing up was "Beaver"; he lost two front teeth playing hockey and had fake teeth that were too large put in as replacements.[5] While at Memphis, he was dubbed "Gotti" by Tigers head coachTommy West, because West could not pronounce Gostkowski correctly.[6]
Gostkowski attended theUniversity of Memphis, where he played football for theMemphis Tigers and majored in exercise and sports science. Gostkowski received an athletic scholarship to play baseball for Memphis, and was a walk-on for the football team.[7] He finished his college career with a total of 369 points, a school record, and 13th overall in NCAA Division I-A history, converting 70 of 92field goals and 159 of 165extra points (PATs) during his Tiger career.[8] His 70 field goals and 159 extra points both set school records previously held by Joe Allison (1990–1993). He earned first team All-Conference USA honors in both his junior and senior years and was named Conference USA's Special Teams Player of the Year in 2005.
In 2005, his senior season, Gostkowski handled kickoff duties for Memphis and had 39touchbacks on 68 kickoffs. Gostkowski did so using a one-inch tee (the height of NFL tees), rather than the two-inch tees allowed by the NCAA at the time. Thus, NFL talent scouts could more accurately project his potential.[9]
In a 2005 game againstHouston, Gostkowski managed the rare feat of recovering his ownonside kick.[10]
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Kicking | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XPM | XPA | XP% | FGM | FGA | FG% | Pts | ||||||
| 2002 | Memphis | CUSA | FR | K | 12 | 32 | 37 | 86.5 | 9 | 14 | 64.3 | 59 |
| 2003 | Memphis | CUSA | SO | K | 13 | 44 | 44 | 100.0 | 19 | 29 | 65.5 | 101 |
| 2004 | Memphis | CUSA | JR | K | 12 | 48 | 49 | 98.0 | 20 | 24 | 83.3 | 108 |
| 2005 | Memphis | CUSA | SR | K | 12 | 35 | 35 | 100.0 | 22 | 25 | 88.0 | 101 |
| Career | Memphis | 49 | 159 | 165 | 96.4 | 70 | 92 | 76.1 | 369 | |||
Gostkowski was selected by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the2006 NFL draft with the 118th overall pick. He was the first of two placekickers to be selected that year.[11] During the Patriots' 2006 training camp, he competed with veteran kickerMartin Gramatica, who the Patriots had signed as a free agent afterAdam Vinatieri signed with theIndianapolis Colts. On August 23, 2006, before their third preseason game, the Patriots cut Gramática, and gave the job to rookie Gostkowski.[12]
During the 2006 preseason, Gostkowski was perfect on field goals and extra points, going 9-for-9 and 11-for-11, respectively, for a total of 38 points. His longest field goal was a 54-yard attempt against theNew York Giants in the last preseason game. On November 26, 2006, Gostkowski made the longest regular-season kick of his young career, a 52-yard kick against theChicago Bears, which is also the longest kick ever made atGillette Stadium.[13] Gostkowski finished the 2006 season as the highest-scoring rookie, with 103 points (20 field goals and 43 extra points), edging out the 96 points scored byJacksonvillerunning backMaurice Jones-Drew.[14]
While Gostkowski struggled early in his rookie season—he had two consecutive kicks blocked—his kickoffs were noticeably longer than were Vinatieri's in his last season inFoxborough. During the 2006 season, he averaged 65.5 yards per kickoff with a return average of 23 yards, and a total of 12 touchbacks. (By comparison, in 2005, Vinatieri's average kickoff was just 61.6 yards, though playing in a dome in 2006 he averaged 65.8 yards.) Gostkowski also outperformed opposing teams on field goals: Gostkowski made 20 of 26 kicks (76.9%), while opposing kickers made just 22 of 30 (73.3%). Gostkowski's rookie season was statistically about the same as Vinatieri's: Vinatieri converted 27 of 35 kicks (77.3%), but missed three extra points (39/42). In Week 17, he missed an extra point attempt for the first time in his NFL career.[15]
Gostkowski also had to contend with having three different holders during the season. After his first holder, punterJosh Miller, was placed oninjured reserve after Week 11, the Patriots signedKen Walter, who held for Weeks 12 to 15 until he was placed on injured reserve. Though the Patriots hiredTodd Sauerbrun to punt, holding duties were given to the Patriots' backup quarterbackMatt Cassel (which led to one regular-season kick that, while good, made two bizarre turns in mid-air).
In theWild Card Round of the 2006 postseason against theNew York Jets, Gostkowski was perfect on all his kick attempts, converting three field goal attempts (from 20, 40, and 28 yards) and four extra points. He also had one kickoff go through the back of the end zone (over 80 yards) for a touchback.[16]
In theAFC Divisional Playoffs against theSan Diego Chargers, Gostkowski made three of three field goals, including a 50-yard kick that was the longest successful kick in Patriots postseason history. He also made a 34-yarder in the third quarter and a 31-yard kick with 1:10 left in the fourth that made him only the third NFL rookie to attempt a game-winning playoff kick in the fourth quarter or overtime. (One of the others was Chargers kickerNate Kaeding, who missed his attempt in the 2004 playoffs; in this game, Kaeding missed a potential game-tying 54-yarder in the closing seconds.) Gostkowski also converted his only extra point attempt of the game following aJabar Gaffney touchdown in the second quarter.[17]
In theAFC Championship, Gostkowski again converted all of his kicks (two field goals and four extra points), and recorded two touchbacks on kickoffs against theIndianapolis Colts.[18]
As an untested rookie, Gostkowski faced special scrutiny in the playoffs, given the playoff heroics of Vinatieri.[19] Gostkowski performed admirably, making all eight of his field goal kicks; he also recorded three touchbacks, including two in the Patriots' January 21, 2007, loss to the Colts at theRCA Dome.
Although Gostkowski ranked 30th in field goal attempts through the first 12 weeks of the NFL season (16 attempts, 14 converted), he managed to equal his entire 2006 scoring output in those 12 weeks, thanks to an NFL-leading 61 extra point attempts, all of which he converted. In Week 15, against theNew York Jets, Gostkowski broke formerMiami Dolphins kickerUwe von Schamann's record for most extra points converted in a season, with his 67th successful attempt. In Week 16, against theMiami Dolphins, Gostkowski broke von Schamann's record of 70 extra point attempts. Gostkowski finished the season a perfect 74-for-74 on extra points, eclipsingJeff Wilkins' 1999 record of 64-for-64 with theSt. Louis Rams.[20] (These PAT records were surpassed byDenver Broncos kickerMatt Prater in2013.)[21] Gostkowski also went 21 for 24 on field goals to finish with 137 points on the season, the third-highest total of any player that year (rookie Green Bay kickerMason Crosby had 141, and Patriots receiverRandy Moss had 138).[22]
Gostkowski also had the distinction, in the Week 13 game against theBaltimore Ravens, of kicking off from the Ravens' 35-yard line as the result of twounsportsmanlike conduct penalties on Ravens linebackerBart Scott and an offside call on the Ravens defense on his PAT attempt. Gostkowski recorded a touchback on the kickoff, but there was confusion after the game as to whether or not the Patriots could have improved their field position by kicking the ball out-of-bounds instead.[23]
Gostkowski had two field goal attempts in the postseason, both in theDivisional Round against theJacksonville Jaguars; Gostkowski converted one, but missed the other, his only failed postseason conversion. He was 9-for-9 on his extra point attempts.[24] In theAFC Championship victory over theSan Diego Chargers, he converted all three extra point attempts.[25] InSuper Bowl XLII against theNew York Giants, he converted both extra point attempts in the 17–14 loss.[26]
Gostkowski was a key contributor in the Patriots' 19–10 win over theNew York Jets in Week 2, the game that marked Matt Cassel's debut as a starter after a season-ending injury to Tom Brady. Gostkowski converted four field goals from 21, 37, 28, and 27 yards, and recordedtouchbacks on the first five of his six kickoffs (the last kick was returned to the 20 before aRaymond Ventrone tackle).[27]
In October, Gostkowski, after going 9-for-10 on field goals and 11-for-11 on extra points for a team-high 38 points, was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for the first time in his career.[28]
In Week 16, Gostkowski had the highest-scoring game of his NFL career, converting four field goal attempts and five extra point attempts against theArizona Cardinals.[29] The 17-point performance gave him a total of 34 field goals on the season, breakingTony Franklin's 1986 franchise record of 32, and 141 points scored, tying Vinatieri's post-merger franchise record, with one game still to play. (Former wide receiver/kickerGino Cappelletti scored 155 points for the Patriots in 1964, and 147 points in 1961, but those include 44 and 56 points on receptions.) Gostkowski finished the season with a league-leading 148 points, the 13th-highest single-season total in NFL history; his 36 field goals converted is the sixth-best total, and the most sinceNeil Rackers made 40 in 2005.[30]
In December 2008, Gostkowski was selected for his firstPro Bowl appearance as theAFC kicker; his selection was the result of the players' and coaches' votes, as he did not finish in the top five in fan voting.[31] TheAssociated Press also voted him to theAll-Pro First Team for the first time; he received 28 of the 50 votes for kicker.[32]
In the Patriots' last-minute 25–24 victory over theBuffalo Bills, Gostkowski recorded his first fumble recovery. WhenLeodis McKelvin fumbled the ball on a kickoff return, with the Patriots trailing 24–19, Gostkowski recovered the ball at the Bills' 31-yard line. Tom Brady, describing the play in his postgame press conference, used yet another nickname for Gostkowski: "Meat,"[33] a reference toBull Durham, coined by former Patriots punterJosh Miller during Gostkowski's rookie season.[34]
Gostkowski won his first AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award in the Patriots' Week 9 game against theMiami Dolphins, in which he recorded four field goals and twotouchbacks, including one on a re-kick from the Patriots' 25-yard line following anoffside penalty.[35]
Gostkowski finished the season going 26-for-31 on field goals (83.9%). He was a perfect 47-for-47 on extra points and had a then-career-high 67.8 yard average on kickoffs.[36]
Gostkowski's contract expired after the 2009 season, which normally would have made him an unrestricted free agent. As a result of the expiring NFL-NFLPAcollective bargaining agreement, however, Gostkowski became arestricted free agent; the Patriots offered him $1,759,000 for the 2010 season. Gostkowski signed the tender on April 17.[37] On August 26, 2010, the Patriots signed Gostkowski to a four-year extension, which added four years to his one-year tender contract; the extension gave him $14 million from 2011 to 2014, with $5 million guaranteed.[38]
Gostkowski began the2010 season missing three of his first four field goal attempts over two games. However, in Week 4, against theMiami Dolphins, Gostkowski recorded five touchbacks in a single game; two weeks later, Gostkowski kicked his first overtime game-winning field goal in the Patriots'23–20 victory over theBaltimore Ravens.[39]
In Week 9, Gostkowski was unable to finish the Patriots' game against theCleveland Browns after sustaining a thigh injury; he was replaced by wide receiverWes Welker. Three days later, on November 10, the Patriots placed Gostkowski oninjured reserve with a tornquadriceps muscle, ending his season. The Patriots signed veteran kickerShayne Graham to replace him.
Gostkowski finished the injury-shortened season 10-for-13 on field goals (76.9%, tying his career low from 2006), while setting a career-high with an average kickoff distance of 67.9 yards. He was 26-for-26 on his extra point attempts.[40]
As Gostkowski recovered from his quadriceps injury, for the first time since his rookie season, he was not the only kicker in training camp; the Patriots brought in formerUniversity of Massachusetts kickerChris Koepplin to help manage Gostkowski's workload; they released Koepplin before the start of the season.[41]
In Week 16, after scoring a field goal against theMiami Dolphins to make the score 17–3 in favor of Miami, Gostkowski made a tackle of Clyde Gates on the subsequent kickoff that was credited as "pivotal" in the Patriots' comeback victory.[42] Instead of allowing a touchdown, Gostkowski tackled Gates at the Miami 38. Miami lost the ball on the ensuing possession, and the Patriots went on to score a touchdown of their own, closing the deficit to 17–10 en route to a 27–24 win.[43]
Gostkowski finished the season with 143 points, five short of his career high in 2007; he made 28 of 33 field goals and all 59 of his extra-point attempts. Gostkowski was one of two kickers to score five or more points in every game in 2011 (the other wasDavid Akers), and the third player in NFL history to manage the feat (Gary Anderson also did it in 1998).[44]
At the end of the 2011 season, Gostkowski and the Patriots appeared inSuper Bowl XLVI. He converted two extra points and a field goal, but the Patriots lost 21–17 to theNew York Giants.[45]
In the 2012 season, Gostkowski converted all 66 extra point attempts and 29-of-35 field goal attempts.[46] In Week 11, in the 59–24 victory over theIndianapolis Colts, he tied his career high, with eight extra points converted to go along with a 31-yard field goal.[47] With 153 total points scored, he won the scoring title for the 2012 season.[48]
In the season opener against theBuffalo Bills, Gostkowski was a perfect 3–3, including the 35-yard game winning attempt.[49] In week 12 againstPeyton Manning and the high-scoringDenver Broncos, Gostkowski made both his field goal attempts, including the game winning 31-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining in overtime.[50] Gostkowski set a franchise record for the New England Patriots for most field goals in a season with 38 field goals made out of 41 attempts.[51] During the AFC Divisional Round against theIndianapolis Colts on January 11, 2014, Gostkowski took over the role ofpunter for the Patriots after regular punterRyan Allen was injured during the second quarter, averaging 41.8 yards per punt.[52] On January 20, 2014, he was named to his second Pro Bowl, replacing Denver Broncos kickerMatt Prater, who was playing inSuper Bowl XLVIII.[53]
Gostkowski scored three field goals against theOakland Raiders in a 16–9 Week 3 victory; coincidentally, all the points in that game were scored by players whose names ended in "-kowski": all of Oakland's points were scored bySebastian Janikowski, while the only touchdown in the game was scored by Patriots tight endRob Gronkowski.[54] In the Patriots' Week 15 41–13 rout of theMiami Dolphins, Gostkowski broke the Patriots' career scoring mark set by Vinatieri in 2005, doing so in just his 134th game as a Patriot.[55]
Gostkowski finished the season with an NFL-leading 35 field goals out of 37 attempts (94.6%, a career-high).[56] He was honored with his thirdPro Bowl selection and was selected as a Second-TeamAll-Pro (behind Vinatieri). Gostkowski won his first Super Bowl ring when the Patriots defeated theSeattle Seahawks by a score of 28–24. He did not kick any field goals but made four extra points.[57]
In a Week 3 victory over theJacksonville Jaguars, Gostkowski recorded his 423rd consecutive extra point, breakingMatt Stover's record of 422. For the first three weeks, he converted all 14 extra point attempts and all seven field goal attempts, and was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for the third time in his career. During the Patriots' Week 5 game atAT&T Stadium versus theDallas Cowboys, Gostkowski tied Vinatieri's franchise record kicking a 57-yard field goal to end the first half.[58] Through the first five games of the season, Gostkowski was 12-for-12 on field goals and 21-for-21 on extra points.[59] He added three more field goals on three tries in a 30–23 win over theNew York Jets in Week 7 to start his season 15-for-15.[60] Against theMiami Dolphins in a 36–7 win on October 29, he was four-for-four on extra points and two-for-two on field goals, including a 52-yarder.[61] Against theNew York Giants on November 15, with only one second remaining, he kicked the game-winning 54-yard field goal to get the 27–26 win, with the Patriots staying undefeated at 9–0 on the season. Additionally, he surpassedAdam Vinatieri on the Patriots' all-time leader in field goals.[62] With the performance against the Giants, Gostkowski improved to 21-of-21 field goals made and 34-of-34 extra points made for the season.[59] In week 11, in a 20–13 win over theBuffalo Bills, Gostkowski missed a 54-yard field goal attempt; it was his first miss since November 30, 2014, and his first miss at home since Week 2 of the 2013 season.[63] He finished the season with 151 points, marking the fourth consecutive season he exceeded 150 points; no other player in NFL history has scored 150 points more than once.[64]
Gostkowski was named one of two starting kickers for the 2015 Pro Bowl (along withDallas Cowboys kickerDan Bailey); it was Gostkowski's third consecutive nomination, and fourth overall.[65] Gostkowski was also named the kicker on the2015 AP All-Pro first team, receiving 47 of 50 votes; Bailey received the other three votes.
In theAFC Championship Game against theDenver Broncos, Gostkowski missed his first extra point since 2006 and only the second of his career, ending a streak of 523 consecutive successful attempts. After the Patriots were defeated 20–18 following a failedtwo-point conversion near the end of the game, Gostkowski blamed himself for the loss.[66] However, Gostkowski, who also scored two field goals during the game, was defended by Patriots coachBill Belichick and teammatesJulian Edelman,Logan Ryan,Tom Brady,Rob Gronkowski,Danny Amendola, andMalcolm Butler.[67][68] It was also his first miss in 56 attempts since the NFL moved the spot for extra points from the 2-yard line back to the 15-yard line.
SinceThe NFL Record & Fact Book does not count statistics from playoff games when calculating regular-season streaks, Gostkowski ended the regular season with his extra point streak active at 463.[69]
During the 2016 offseason, the NFL changed the rule onkickoffs so thattouchbacks would grant the offense an extra five yards, with possessions starting at the 25-yard line rather than the 20-yard line. The Patriots took advantage of Gostkowski's ability to deliver "mortar kicks" that have a long hang time but land inside the field of play, which then forces the opposing team to attempt to return the kick. In the Patriots' Week 1 upset of theArizona Cardinals, the Patriots used such a kick to force the Cardinals to start their final drive, which ended in a missed field goal, at their own eight-yard line.[70] While against theHouston Texans in Week 3, the Patriots forced twofumbles on such kickoffs.[71] He earned Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 13 for making all four field goal attempts including three over 45 yards and converted two extra points.[72]
Gostkowski missed an extra point in Week 6 against theCincinnati Bengals to end his record regular-season streak at 479.[73] He finished the season tied for eighth in scoring with 127 points (27 of 32 field goals and 46 of 49 extra points); making the 2016 season the first time since 2011 that Gostkowski did not lead the NFL in scoring.[74]
Gostkowski appeared in aPepsi commercial during the 2017 playoffs, joining the ranks of wide receiversOdell Beckham Jr. andAntonio Brown.[75]
Gostkowski became the first placekicker in Super Bowl history to start at placekicker for the winning team without kicking an extra point. InSuper Bowl LI, Gostkowski missed the extra point on the Patriots' first touchdown, the Patriots successfully attempted two-point conversions on their second and third touchdowns, and the Patriots' final, game-winning touchdown came in overtime, so no extra point was needed.[76] In the 34–28 overtime victory over theAtlanta Falcons, Gostkowski hit on a 41-yard attempt in the second quarter and a 33-yard attempt in the fourth quarter.[77]
In Week 4 during a 33–30 loss against theCarolina Panthers, Gostkowski set a new franchise record by making a 58-yard field goal, beating the 57-yard record he shared withAdam Vinatieri.[78] He broke that record in the Patriots'Week 11 game against theOakland Raiders atEstadio Azteca inMexico City, kicking a 62-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.[79] That kick was tied for the sixth-longest field goal in NFL history. In that game, Gostkowski booted four field goals, earning him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[80]
In the 2017 regular season, Gostkowski was 45-of-47 on extra point attempts and 37-of-40 on field goal attempts.[81] His 156 points was the second highest total of any player in the NFL, behind only theLos Angeles Rams'Greg Zuerlein.[82] It was the fifth time Gostkowski had eclipsed the 150-point mark in his career.
Gostkowski played inSuper Bowl LII tying the record with former PatriotAdam Vinatieri to appear in five Super Bowls as a kicker. The Patriots failed to repeat as Super Bowl Champions after losing 41–33 to thePhiladelphia Eagles. In the Super Bowl, Gostkowski made 2 field goals and 3 extra points but also missed a field goal and an extra point in the second quarter.[83]
Gostkowski finished sixth in the league among kickers with 130 points scored.[84] He set a record for most Super Bowl appearances by a kicker, at six, breaking his tie with former PatriotAdam Vinatieri.[85]
InSuper Bowl LIII against theLos Angeles Rams, Gostkowski missed a field goal and made two during the Patriots win over the Rams. He kicked a 41-yard field goal with under two minutes left in the game to give the Patriots a 13–3 lead, essentially sealing the Super Bowl win for the Patriots.[86][87]
On April 9, 2019, Gostkowski re-signed with the Patriots on a two-year, $8.5 million deal.[88]
On October 2, 2019, as a result of a left hip injury he sustained, Gostkowski was placed oninjured reserve for the second time in his 14-year career.[89]Mike Nugent was signed as his replacement, but eventually released.Nick Folk was brought in to assume the kicking duties, but was then also released and replaced byKai Forbath. Folk eventually ended up being re-signed by the Patriots as their main kicker.[90]
On March 23, 2020, Gostkowski was released by the Patriots after 14 seasons with the team.[91]
On September 3, 2020, theTennessee Titans signed Gostkowski on a one-year deal. Gostkowski was a teammate of Titans head coachMike Vrabel from 2006 to 2008, when Vrabel played linebacker for the Patriots.[92]
During the season opener against theDenver Broncos, Gostkowski struggled, missing three field goals and an extra point. However, with 17 seconds left in the game, Gostkowski kicked a game-winning field goal, putting the Titans up 16–14.[93] In Week 2 against theJacksonville Jaguars, Gostkowski made three of four extra point attempts and two field goal attempts, including a 49-yard game-winner late in the fourth quarter.[94] Gostkowski was crucial to the Titans' Week 3 road victory over theMinnesota Vikings, making all six of his field goals, including another game-winner late in the fourth quarter, this time from 55 yards out.[95] He was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in Week 3.[96] On October 1, 2020, Gostkowski was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for his performance in September.[97]
After not attempting a field goal in the first 5 weeks of the regular season, Gostkowski made only one of five attempted field goals in Weeks 6–8, notably missing a 45-yard game-tying field goal with 19 seconds left in the 4th quarter in a 24–27 loss to thePittsburgh Steelers in Week 7. Had Gostkowski made the kick, the game would have likely been sent into overtime.[98][99] However, he would only miss one of his nine attempted field goals in Weeks 9–16. Gostkowski did not play in the Week 17 game against theHouston Texans due to being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and was replaced by rookieSam Sloman.[100]
The Titans won the AFC South with an 11–5 record, with Gostkowski finishing the season making 18 out of 26 field goals and making 44 out of 46 extra points, with the only missed extra points being from the first two games of the season. Gostkowski was later removed from the reserve/COVID-19 list and cleared to return for the Titans in the playoffs,[101] making his two attempted field goals and lone extra point attempt as the Titans lost 20–13 to theBaltimore Ravens theWild Card Round.[102]
Gostkowski was not re-signed by the Titans following the 2020 season, making him a free agent going into the 2021 season.[103]
Gostkowski retired during the 2022 season after 15 seasons due to a persistent knee injury.[104]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won theSuper Bowl | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | Field Goals | Extra Points | Total Points | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FGM | FGA | FG% | <20 | 20−29 | 30−39 | 40−49 | 50+ | Lng | XPM | XPA | XP% | ||||
| 2006 | NE | 16 | 20 | 26 | 76.9 | 0–0 | 10–11 | 7–10 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 52 | 43 | 44 | 97.7 | 103 |
| 2007 | NE | 16 | 21 | 24 | 87.5 | 0–0 | 10–10 | 8–9 | 3–5 | 0–0 | 45 | 74 | 74 | 100.0 | 137 |
| 2008 | NE | 16 | 36 | 40 | 90.0 | 0–0 | 10–12 | 16–16 | 9–11 | 1–1 | 50 | 40 | 40 | 100.0 | 148 |
| 2009 | NE | 16 | 26 | 31 | 83.9 | 0–0 | 7–7 | 12–13 | 5–8 | 2–3 | 53 | 47 | 47 | 100.0 | 125 |
| 2010 | NE | 8 | 10 | 13 | 76.9 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 6–7 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 43 | 26 | 26 | 100.0 | 56 |
| 2011 | NE | 16 | 28 | 33 | 84.8 | 1–1 | 12–13 | 5–6 | 9–11 | 1–2 | 50 | 59 | 59 | 100.0 | 143 |
| 2012 | NE | 16 | 29 | 35 | 82.9 | 0–0 | 8–8 | 10–12 | 9–13 | 2–2 | 53 | 66 | 66 | 100.0 | 153 |
| 2013 | NE | 16 | 38 | 41 | 92.7 | 1–1 | 8–8 | 13–13 | 11–13 | 5–6 | 54 | 44 | 44 | 100.0 | 158 |
| 2014 | NE | 16 | 35 | 37 | 94.6 | 1–1 | 11–11 | 10–11 | 12–13 | 1–1 | 53 | 51 | 51 | 100.0 | 156 |
| 2015 | NE | 16 | 33 | 36 | 91.7 | 0–0 | 6–6 | 11–11 | 12–14 | 4–5 | 57 | 52 | 52 | 100.0 | 151 |
| 2016 | NE | 16 | 27 | 32 | 84.4 | 0–0 | 9–9 | 7–9 | 9–10 | 2–4 | 53 | 46 | 49 | 93.9 | 127 |
| 2017 | NE | 16 | 37 | 40 | 92.5 | 0–0 | 16–16 | 9–9 | 8–11 | 4–4 | 62 | 45 | 47 | 95.7 | 156 |
| 2018 | NE | 16 | 27 | 32 | 84.4 | 0–0 | 11–11 | 10–10 | 4–6 | 2–5 | 52 | 49 | 50 | 98.0 | 130 |
| 2019 | NE | 4 | 7 | 8 | 87.5 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 41 | 11 | 15 | 73.3 | 32 |
| 2020 | TEN | 15 | 18 | 26 | 69.2 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 4–5 | 5–10 | 7–8 | 55 | 46 | 48 | 95.8 | 100 |
| Total | 219 | 392 | 454 | 86.3 | 3–3 | 124–129 | 132–145 | 101–134 | 32–43 | 62 | 699 | 712 | 98.2 | 1,875 | |
| Year | Team | GP | Field Goals | Extra Points | Total Points | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FGM | FGA | FG% | <20 | 20−29 | 30−39 | 40−49 | 50+ | Lng | XPM | XPA | XP% | ||||
| 2006 | NE | 3 | 8 | 8 | 100.0 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 50 | 9 | 9 | 100.0 | 33 |
| 2007 | NE | 3 | 1 | 2 | 50.0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 35 | 9 | 9 | 100.0 | 12 |
| 2009 | NE | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | — | 2 | 2 | 100.0 | 2 |
| 2011 | NE | 3 | 5 | 5 | 100.0 | 0–0 | 4–4 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 35 | 10 | 10 | 100.0 | 25 |
| 2012 | NE | 2 | 4 | 4 | 100.0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 38 | 6 | 6 | 100.0 | 18 |
| 2013 | NE | 2 | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 47 | 6 | 6 | 100.0 | 9 |
| 2014 | NE | 3 | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 21 | 15 | 15 | 100.0 | 18 |
| 2015 | NE | 2 | 4 | 4 | 100.0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 46 | 3 | 4 | 75.0 | 15 |
| 2016 | NE | 3 | 7 | 7 | 100.0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 47 | 7 | 9 | 77.8 | 28 |
| 2017 | NE | 3 | 3 | 5 | 60.0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 45 | 11 | 12 | 91.7 | 20 |
| 2018 | NE | 3 | 5 | 6 | 83.3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–4 | 0–0 | 47 | 10 | 10 | 100.0 | 25 |
| 2020 | TEN | 1 | 2 | 2 | 100.0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 45 | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | 7 |
| Total | 29 | 41 | 46 | 89.1 | 1–1 | 13–14 | 13–14 | 13–15 | 1–2 | 50 | 89 | 93 | 95.7 | 212 | |
Gostkowski and his wife Hallie met when they were both attending theUniversity of Memphis; they married in 2008. Hallie works as a nurse at a Boston hospital and the couple lives inWrentham,Massachusetts, with two sons as well as a daughter, who was born in 2016.[105]
