Miami Dolphins Sign Kicker Zane Gonzalez
The Miami Dolphins have signed veteran kicker Zane Gonzalez to the roster after releasing Riley Patterson.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Football
Live Poll
Should NFL teams rely on consistent veteran kickers rather than cycling through replacements for better performance?
The Miami Dolphins have parted ways with kicker Riley Patterson following a string of missed kicks and moved to sign 31-year-old veteran Zane Gonzalez. The team is currently looking to stabilize their special teams as they search for their first win of the season.
Why it matters
The decision comes as the Dolphins struggle with a 0-5 start, highlighting an urgent need for more reliable performance in the kicking game. Patterson missed several opportunities this season, including field goals in Weeks 1 and 2 and an extra point in Week 5.
Gonzalez brings a career field goal accuracy of 81.0% and an extra point success rate of 95.3%. Patterson finished his tenure with the team hitting 5-for-6 on PATs this season.
The players
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team that competes in the AFC East division of the NFL.
Riley Patterson
Riley Patterson is a professional placekicker who has spent time with multiple teams in the NFL.
Zane Gonzalez
Zane Gonzalez is a veteran NFL kicker who has previously played for several franchises across the league.
The details
The Dolphins chose to move on from Patterson due to his inability to make a consistent volume of kicks and a lack of leg strength for long-distance attempts. The team evaluated multiple replacement options before settling on Gonzalez to address the kicking deficiencies.
Timeline
Week 1: Patterson missed a field goal.
Week 2: Patterson missed a field goal.
Week 5: Patterson missed an extra point.
October 20, 2026: The Dolphins released Patterson and signed Gonzalez.
Season Trajectory
This roster move underscores the pressure on the winless Dolphins to find consistency during a difficult 0-5 start. By cycling through specialists, the team hopes to secure reliable points in close games to salvage their season outlook.
The acquisition of Gonzalez provides the team with a kicker who owns a career long field goal of 56 yards. Fantasy managers should monitor whether Gonzalez handles all kicking duties immediately given his 95.3% career extra point accuracy.
The takeaway
Reliable kicking remains a critical factor in determining the outcome of games for winless teams. Adding an experienced veteran like Gonzalez is a standard strategic move intended to minimize avoidable point losses in future matchups.
Further reading
For more updates on the roster, check out the Football section.
Live Poll
Should NFL teams rely on consistent veteran kickers rather than cycling through replacements for better performance?
