Chad Ryland became just the third player in NFL history to hit three fourth-quarter or overtime game-winning field goals in his first four games with a team.
Chad Ryland is Arizona's placekicker, a former New England fourth-round pick who found a home with the Cardinals after his release from the Patriots. A converted soccer and baseball player who snuck onto his high school field to practice kicking, Ryland became Eastern Michigan's all-time leading scorer before finishing his college career at Maryland.
Path to the league
Ryland kicked four seasons at Eastern Michigan, becoming the program's all-time leading scorer with 309 points, then transferred to Maryland for his final college season and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2022. The New England Patriots drafted him in the fourth round, 112th overall, in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
As a Patriots rookie in 2023, Ryland made 16 of 25 field goals and hit a 56-yard game-winner with two seconds left to beat Denver on Christmas Eve. After his release in 2024, he joined Arizona and earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for October, becoming just the third player in NFL history with three fourth-quarter or overtime game-winning field goals in his first four games with a team.
2025 season recap
Ryland made 25 of 33 field goals (75.8%) for Arizona in 2025 while going a perfect 36-for-36 on extra points. He re-signed with the Cardinals in March 2026, having made 10 of 11 attempts from 50-plus yards since joining the team.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Chad Ryland
- Pro Football Reference: Chad Ryland
Statistics
2025 season and career▶Passing · career
| Year | Team | GP | CMP | ATT | YDS | TD | INT | RTG | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | cardinals | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39.6 | - |
| 2024 | cardinals | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39.6 | - |
| 2023 | patriots | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39.6 | - |
▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | cardinals | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Place Kicker
- Group
- specialTeam
- College
- Maryland
- Hometown
- Lebanon, PA, USA
- Age
- 27
- Status
- active
Latest news about Chad Ryland
All news →Cardinals Name Gardner Minshew Their Starter After Overtime Win in Dallas
Minshew replaced Jacoby Brissett late in the third quarter and led touchdown drives on all four of his regulation possessions. Brissett, who had started every game, drops to third string.
Cardinals Edge Cowboys 33-30 in Week 8
Arizona Cardinals 33, Dallas Cowboys 30 at AT&T Stadium. Gardner Minshew II went 17 of 23 for 188 yards with 3 touchdowns.
Broncos Beat Cardinals 30-16 in Week 7
Denver Broncos 30, Arizona Cardinals 16 at State Farm Stadium. Bo Nix went 15 of 29 for 222 yards with 1 touchdown.
Chad Ryland Kicks Six Field Goals, Scores All 18 Points in Cardinals' Upset of the Rams
Arizona won 18-16 as a 13.5-point underdog on Ryland's 43-yarder as time expired, the season's biggest upset by point spread. It was the first time since 1929 one Cardinal accounted for all the team's points in a win.
Cardinals Edge Rams 18-16 in Week 6
Arizona Cardinals 18, Los Angeles Rams 16 at SoFi Stadium. Jacoby Brissett went 24 of 35 for 218 yards with 1 interception.
49ers Beat Cardinals 36-30 in Week 3
San Francisco 49ers 36, Arizona Cardinals 30 at Levi's Stadium. Brock Purdy went 15 of 27 for 297 yards with 4 touchdowns.
