Washington Commanders’ kicker Zane Gonzalez was the hero during Wildcard Weekend, kicking a 37-yard field goal to advance his team to the Divisional Round against Detroit. Gonzalez was honored during a special teams meeting this week for his efforts. During the team’s meeting, he addressed the viral situation on the sideline before the kick.
Gonzalez was seen fixing his hair multiple times, clearly anxious before the kick. The NBC cameras followed him as he went through his usual routine, repeatedly adjusting his sock, rubbing his hair, and tapping his helmet before finally putting it on his head.
Gonzalez’s routine led to some comments on social media at his expense. The moment also served as a reminder that it’s connected to something he has dealt with his whole life: obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Zane Gonzalez Speaks About His Battle With OCD
What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)? Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a mental health conditions that cause unwanted and recurring obsessions and compulsions. People like Gonzalez with OCD may experience distress or have difficulty with daily activities due to their symptoms.
The Commanders’ kicker had struggled with OCD since grade school when he was first diagnosed, leading to numerous internal battles over the years. Gonzalez addressed the media this week, stating the attention led to receiving numerous comments from other people with OCD.
Many friends, family members, teammates, and others who struggle with this illness thanked him for shedding light on the disorder. Gonzalez called it a “tremendous amount of support” from his team, friends, and loved ones.
Washington Commanders kicker Zane Gonzalez welcomes his viral moment as a chance to educate about OCD. pic.twitter.com/Fx9qmRXCgL
— AP NFL (@AP_NFL) January 16, 2025
Gonzalez, when speaking to the media about OCD, stated, “You’ve got to have humility, and if not, you’ll drive yourself crazy. It’s stuff that I’ve always kind of laughed at. There are all sorts of people who walk through life dealing with these struggles day-to-day, and a lot of it’s at home that people don’t see.”
He said. “For example, like last night resetting my alarm about 100 times making sure it’s OK kind of gets on my wife’s nerves a little bit, but at times it’s just kind of how it goes.”
Who is Zane Gonzalez?
Gonzalez is in his sixth NFL season but his first since 2021. He has previously kicked for the Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, and Carolina Panthers. His career seemed to peak in 2021 with Carolina, as he hit 91% of his field goals that season over 12 games.
However, Gonzalez ended that season on injured reserve after suffering a quad injury during warmups, which became a recurrent problem. In the 2022 preseason, Gonzalez again hurt his quad in warmups and spent the entire season on injured reserve.
In 2023, he sought to catch on with the San Francisco 49ers but was again put on IR with an undisclosed injury and later released with an injury settlement. As a result, Gonzalez spent all of 2023 out of football.
The Commanders lost their regular kicker, Austin Seibert, in Week 16 to injury, requiring Gonzalez to step in.
He made waves across the internet due to his mannerisms before kicking a field goal. While not the first time he’s done it, he gained widespread attention when the TV cameras showed him repeatedly fixing his hair while putting on his helmet before kicking the game-winning field goal against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Wild Card Weekend.
If you don’t think the pressure of the playoffs is a real thing. This clip of #Commanders kicker Zane Gonzalez right before his attempt says it all.
He had me stressed out watching him mentally prepare. 😳#WASvsTB pic.twitter.com/gZFnD1pzcs
— Nick Ferguson (@NickFerguson_25) January 13, 2025
“If anything, it makes my wife and family more upset than it does with me,” Gonzalez told The Washington Post in the days following the game.
“I’m used to it. … Everybody that’s known or seen me kick has seen me do it millions of times. Being on such a big stage on Sunday night, a game-winner, it draws a little bit more attention, I’ve learned. It’s who I am, and it’s what I go through, and I, above everybody else, realize how crazy it looks doing it. I’m aware. But at the same time, you can’t help it.”