Miami Dolphins Signing Zane Gonzalez After Kicking Struggles<\/p>\n
The Miami Dolphins<\/a> are making a change at kicker as they look to address one of several disappointing areas of their football team.<\/p>\n According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Dolphins are signing veteran kicker Zane Gonzalez<\/a> after a Tuesday workout that also included former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker<\/a>. The agreement is pending Gonzalez passing a physical.<\/p>\n The move comes as Miami enters Week 7 of the NFL season still searching for its first victory, with inconsistent special teams play becoming another concern for head coach Jeff Hafley and his coaching staff.<\/p>\n Riley Patterson<\/a>\u2018s Struggles Lead to a Change<\/p>\n The decision to bring in Gonzalez appears directly tied to current Dolphins kicker Riley Patterson\u2019s struggles.<\/p>\n In Miami\u2019s first five games of the 2026 season, Patterson has converted only five of seven field-goal attempts and missed an extra point. In addition to those misses, Patterson has reportedly struggled with kickoff execution, drawing criticism from the coaching staff.<\/p>\n Patterson has had a disappointing start, especially given how well he performed for Miami during the 2025 season.<\/p>\n Last year, Patterson converted 27 of 29 field goal attempts, an impressive 93.1% success rate. He also made 34 of 35 extra-point attempts and appeared to have established himself as a dependable option.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, that success hasn\u2019t carried over into 2026.<\/p>\n For a Dolphins team already struggling offensively, leaving potential points on the field is something the coaching staff cannot afford.<\/p>\n Zane Gonzalez Returns to Miami<\/p>\n Interestingly, Gonzalez is no stranger to the Dolphins organization.<\/p>\n Miami originally signed Gonzalez in free agency in March to compete with Patterson for the starting kicking job after longtime kicker Jason Sanders departed<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, Gonzalez suffered an injury during training camp, was placed on injured reserve in August, and was eventually released.<\/p>\n Now, just a few months later, Gonzalez is getting another opportunity in Miami.<\/p>\n The 31-year-old veteran entered the NFL as a seventh-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2017 after a successful college career at Arizona State.<\/p>\n Throughout his NFL career, Gonzalez has played for several organizations, including the Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Washington Commanders, and Atlanta Falcons.<\/p>\n Most recently, Gonzalez appeared in nine games for Atlanta during the 2025 season, converting 19 of 22 field goal attempts and 17 of 18 extra-point attempts.<\/p>\n In his career, Gonzalez has made 115 of 142 field goal attempts (81.0%) and 163 of 171 extra-point attempts.<\/p>\n While those numbers don\u2019t necessarily make Gonzalez one of the NFL\u2019s elite kickers, he brings experience and a recent track record of solid production.<\/p>\n Dolphins Also Worked Out Justin Tucker<\/p>\n One of the more interesting aspects of Tuesday\u2019s news is that Miami reportedly also worked out former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker.<\/p>\n Tucker, a seven-time Pro Bowler, was once considered one of the greatest kickers in NFL history.<\/p>\n However, his production declined in 2024, when he converted just 22 of 30 field-goal attempts.<\/p>\n Tucker was released by Baltimore in 2025 following allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior involving massage therapists. Tucker has denied wrongdoing.<\/p>\n Ultimately, Miami elected to move forward with Gonzalez rather than Tucker.<\/p>\n Miami\u2019s Special Teams Must Improve<\/p>\n