Chiefs kicker Zane Gonzalez embraces OCD after viral pregame kicking practice: ‘Who am I?’
Zane Gonzalez is opening up about his struggles with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) after television cameras caught him pre-game during last weekend’s wild card round win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Gonzalez, who is in his first season with the Washington Chiefs, was seen alternating between fixing his hair, adjusting his socks and putting his helmet on his head.
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Washington Chiefs’ Zane Gonzalez celebrates after defeating the Buccaneers in the NFC wild card game at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Mike Ehrman/Getty Images)
Moments after completing the ritual, Gonzalez nailed a 37-yard field goal to lift the Chiefs to a 23-20 victory over the Bucs. Washington will travel to Detroit to take on the top-seeded Lions in the divisional round.
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While there has been some speculation that Gonzalez’s behavior is part of sports superstition, the poet says it actually stems from OCD.
“If anything, it makes my wife and family more upset than it is me,” Gonzalez said. The Washington Post.
Washington Chiefs kicker Zane Gonzalez, right, is congratulated by teammates after kicking the game-winning field goal against the Buccaneers, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Tampa, Florida. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
“I’m used to it. . . . Anyone who knows me or has seen me hit has seen me do it a million times. Being on the big stage on Sunday night, winning a game, getting a little bit of attention. I’ve learned who I am, and that’s what I do, and most importantly, doing it.” I know how crazy that sounds.
Gonzalez was diagnosed with the disease as a child, and this is not the first time he has spoken about the condition. In the year “OCD makes you perfectionist and more detail-oriented,” he told ESPN in 2017. Off the field, this is a pain in the chest.
The former Arizona State kicker said he used strategies to counteract some of the effects the disease had on his daily life, and applied those practices to his game-day preparation.
Washington Chiefs’ Zane Gonzalez kicks a 52-yard field goal against the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on January 12, 2025 in Tampa. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
“There are a few things that I try to keep under the radar as much as I can, just understanding, do whatever it takes to mentally prepare me to make it work and get on the field,” he said. “The helmet thing is literally the last thing I do.”
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Gonzalez He didn’t kick in the NFL in 2022 or 2023, but was signed to Washington’s practice squad in November 2024 and later promoted to the active roster. This season he is 5 for 7 in field goals and has made 100% of his extra point attempts.
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