Stephen Gostkowski

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Gostkowski's journey began at Madison Central High School in Mississippi, where he earned All-State honors in football, soccer, and baseball while holding the school record for a 55-yard field goal. Growing up, his teammates called him "Beaver" due to oversized fake teeth replacing front teeth lost playing hockey. At Memphis, head coach Tommy West dubbed him "Gotti" because he couldn't pronounce Gostkowski correctly. As a walk-on football player and scholarship baseball athlete, Gostkowski set school records with 369 total points, converting 70 of 92 field goals. In his senior year (2005), he used a one-inch tee for kickoffs to simulate NFL conditions, helping scouts evaluate his potential accurately. His college career also featured a rare recovery of his own onside kick against Houston.

In Their Own Story

In 2006, Gostkowski replaced veteran Martin Gramatica after the Patriots released him before their third preseason game. He went perfect in the preseason (9-for-9 field goals, 11-for-11 extra points) and kicked his longest regular-season attempt of 52 yards against the Chicago Bears on November 26, setting a Gillette Stadium record that year. Despite early struggles with two blocked kicks, he averaged 65.5 yards per kickoff as a rookie, outperforming predecessor Adam Vinatieri. Gostkowski faced unique challenges in his first season, utilizing three different holders including punter Josh Miller and backup quarterback Matt Cassel, whose hold once caused a kick to make "two bizarre turns" yet still count. By 2007, he broke Uwe von Schamann's single-season extra point record, finishing perfect on 74 attempts, eclipsing Jeff Wilkins' previous mark.

Reader's Guide

Stephen Gostkowski was selected by the New England Patriots in the fourth round (118th overall) of the 2006 NFL draft. He spent his first 14 seasons with the franchise before playing one final season for the Tennessee Titans. During his career, he led the league in scoring five times and became the first post-merger player to do so for more than two consecutive seasons (four straight from 2012–2015). He earned four Pro Bowl selections and two First-Team All-Pro honors while winning three Super Bowls. In Week 17 of his rookie year, he missed an extra point for the first time in his NFL career. Notably, in a 2005 college game against Houston, he recovered his own onside kick. His legacy includes holding the NFL record for consecutive extra points and being inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 2025.

Did You Know?

• Gostkowski's most common childhood nickname was "Beaver," earned after losing two front teeth playing hockey and receiving oversized replacements.
• At the University of Memphis, he used a one-inch tee for kickoffs during his senior year (2005) to mimic NFL conditions, rather than the NCAA-allowed two-inch tees.
• In 2007, Gostkowski broke Uwe von Schamann's record by converting 67 extra points in a single season, eventually finishing perfect on 74 attempts.
• During his rookie year (2006), backup quarterback Matt Cassel served as a holder for one of Gostkowski's kicks, which made "two bizarre turns" in mid-air but was still successful.
• Gostkowski holds the NFL record for consecutive extra points and was the first post-merger player to lead the league in scoring for more than two consecutive seasons.