Ryan Fitzgerald may not be a household name at present, but after the Panthers–Falcons faceoff, the rookie is the man of the hour. With the game pushed to overtime, the kicker drilled a 28-yarder, sealing a 30-27 victory. This was his third game-winning kick of the season. After coming in clutch against the Cowboys and Packers, Fitzgerald is beginning to earn a bit of a reputation. 

Signing with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent, the rookie started playing for the team in August after Carolina released Matthew Wright. Since then, he has wasted no time in showcasing what he brings to the table. Currently, the kicker has nailed 17 out of the 20 field goal attempts he’s made thus far. As an undrafted free agent, Fitzgerald came into the league without much pageantry. While his performance this season continues to impress, here’s a look at the rookie’s life outside of his increasing brilliance on the field. 

Who is Ryan Fitzgerald’s father, Chad Fitzgerald?

Ryan Fitzgerald is an alumnus of Florida State University, where he earned undergraduate degrees in Accounting and Risk Management/Insurance. He was also the placekicker for the Florida State University football team. The oldest of two boys, Fitzgerald, has always known that he’d make it to the league. And his father, Chad Fitzgerald, couldn’t be prouder. Speaking to the Charlotte Observer, the rookie’s father dove into his son’s mindset during his formative years.

“He [Ryan] always said, when he was tiny, he was going to play at the next level. And then when he was at FSU, he was saying the same things,” he explained.

While Fitzgerald Sr proudly spoke of his son’s achievements on the field, the kicker credited his father for igniting a passion inside the classroom. A profile of the Panthers’ rookie during his time at FSU explores his academic interests.

“I always talked to him [his father]  about going to college to become an accountant,” Fitzgerald stated, while attributing his father as a source of inspiration. 

Chad Fitzgerald, who earned a degree in Accounting and now serves as the CFO of a furniture retailer, has seemingly passed on an inherent interest in the subject to his son. According to FSU’s profile, the Panthers’ rookie was also eager to pursue a Master’s in Accounting.

Who is Ryan Fitzgerald’s Mother, Sandy Fitzgerald?

Sandy Fitzgerald doesn’t play around when it comes to supporting her sons.  Instead of participating in the game-day tailgates, she prefers watching her son warm up. This has been the case ever since Ryan Fitzgerald started playing. As her son’s biggest cheerleader, she’s recorded all of her son’s games all the way from high school to his NFL career. And watching her son achieve his dream of making it to the league overwhelmed her in the best way possible. 

“. . .When he got on the field,” she said, “I started smiling real big. But all of a sudden, it just kind of hit me, and I just started crying.”

The moment her son had been working towards his entire life was finally here, and Sandy Fitzgerald’s pride shone through her tears. With both her sons playing a game they love, these moments are sacred, much like the bond they share.

How is Ryan Fitzgerald’s relationship with his parents?

The Fitzgeralds are a close-knit bunch. Post the Panthers’ Week 3 trouncing of the Falcons, Ryan Fitzgerald was responding to a text from his mother while in the locker room. 

Captured by her younger son, Brett, the rookie’s mother sent him a video of the 57-yarder he’d kicked. And according to Sandy Fitzgerald, despite the game being televised, all her son’s moments on the field were captured by the family as they cheered him on from, you guessed it, right behind the uprights.

Both Chad and Sandy Fitzgerald are permanent fixtures in their children’s journeys, and their actions speak for themselves. A 2020 Instagram from Ryan Fitzgerald’s account, aptly captioned ‘Family and football,’ mirrors the family’s love for one another and the game. 

What ethnicity are Ryan Fitzgerald’s parents?

Natives of Coolidge, Georgia, the Fitzgerald family are true Bulldogs fans. The family takes pride in being present at both their sons’ football games. Brett, who is younger than Ryan by six years, is also a kicker at Georgia Military College.