Rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald played a key role in the Carolina Panthers’ 30-27 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday by making his first walk-off game-winning field goal. The kick, which came with three seconds left, secured the team’s third consecutive home win and brought their record to 3-3 for the season.
Fitzgerald, a newcomer from Florida State, has quickly gained the trust of his teammates despite being one of 12 rookies on the roster. Tight end Tommy Tremble said, “I mean, he’s got nerves of steel, man. And we believe every single time he goes out there, he’s going to make the kick. And so him going out there icing the game, awesome. I’m really happy for him.”
Cornerback Chau Smith-Wade added, “I trust that man with my soul. I know he going to knock it down.”
So far this season, Fitzgerald has made 10 out of 11 field goal attempts, including a long of 57 yards against Atlanta earlier in the year and a 55-yarder during Sunday’s game.
Veteran long snapper JJ Jansen described Fitzgerald as calm and confident under pressure: “Very calm, very confident,” Jansen said. “We talked about this back in training camp, what are the non-measurable traits of a young kicker… you’re looking for confidence in big moments… someone that can hold up emotionally to your biggest kick of the game’s gonna be at 4:05 p.m. after everyone else has beeaten their bodies up.” He also noted Fitzgerald’s process-oriented approach and good communication with punter Sam Martin on what was a windy day.
After making the decisive kick—a relatively short 33-yarder—Fitzgerald credited his teammates for putting him in position: “I couldn’t ask for anything more,” he said. “I mean, what’s not to be excited about?”
Asked about handling pressure from fans before such an important moment, Fitzgerald responded: “I don’t listen to that. I try to just stay focused on process and do my thing.”
Despite his early success and high career accuracy rate (90.9 percent), Fitzgerald remains focused on improvement: “I think I have to continue to prove myself,” he said. “I mean, I haven’t made it just because you know of one solid game… every week I’ve got to keep finding new ways to get better and help this team.”
The Panthers’ latest win marks progress as they reach .500 for the first time since November 2021.
