Zane Gonzalez is opening up about his relationship with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) after television cameras caught his pre-kick routine during this weekend’s wild-card round win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Gonzalez, who is in his first season with the Washington Commanders, was seen switching between fixing his hair, adjusting his socks and putting his helmet on and off his head.
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Zane Gonzalez of the Washington Commanders celebrates after defeating the Buccaneers in the NFC wild-card game at Raymond James Stadium on January 12, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Moments after Gonzalez completed his ritual, he hit a 37-yard field goal to lift the Commanders to a 23-20 victory over the Bucs. Washington travels to Detroit to take on the top-seeded Lions in the divisional round.
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While there was some speculation that Gonzalez’s actions were just part of a sports superstition, the kicker said it actually stems from his OCD.
“If anything, it upsets my wife and family more than it does me,” Gonzalez told The Washington Post.
Washington Commanders place Zane Gonzalez, right, is congratulated by teammates after kicking the game-winning field goal against the Buccaneers in Tampa, Fla., Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
“I’m used to it. . . . Anyone who has known or seen me kick has seen me do it a million times. To be on such a big stage on Sunday night, game winner, attracts a little more attention, I” have learned that this is who I am and this is what I go through and I, more than anyone else, realize how crazy it looks, but at the same time you can’t help it.”
Gonzalez was diagnosed with the disorder in his childhood and this is not the first time he has spoken out about his condition. In 2017, he told ESPN: “OCD makes you a perfectionist and more detail-oriented. Off the field, it’s a pain in the butt.”
The former Arizona State kicker said he had implemented methods to address some of the effects the disorder has on his daily life, and he has applied those practices to his game day preparations.
Zane Gonzalez of the Washington Commanders kicks a 52-yard field goal against the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 12, 2025, in Tampa. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
“There’s a couple of things I try to do to keep it as under the radar as I can, just understand, get it done and whatever gets me mentally ready to go on the field, do it,” he said . “The helmet thing is literally the last thing I do.”
Gonzalez did not kick in the NFL in 2022 or 2023, but he was signed to Washington’s practice squad in November 2024 and later elevated to the active roster. He was 5-for-7 on field goals this season while also making 100% of his extra point attempts.
