WHAT WENT RIGHT IN 2025
It appears the Panthers found themselves a kicker.
Fitzgerald won the preseason competition with journeyman Matthew Wright, and he flourished.
Beginning with his walk-off against Dallas, he showed he has the kind of nerve you don’t expect from a rookie. He also hit game winners against the Falcons, Packers, and Bucs, in a season in which the Panthers made late-game runs a thing.
Since 2000, only seven rookies in the league have had as many as three game-winning kicks, and he matched Dan Bailey (2011) for the lead with four.
He was also effective on kickoffs, able to handle a new skill to strategically use the “dirty kicks” early to help the Panthers rank near the top in kickoff coverage (third in average opposing starting field position after kickoff return).