Matt Gay
He went from a college soccer player to an NFL kicking weapon, drilling a Super Bowl-winning field goal in a story of relentless reinvention.
Born 1994 (age 32)·American football player·Birthday: March 15·Millennials
Biography
Matt Gay's path to the NFL was anything but a straight line. He initially pursued soccer, playing as a goalkeeper at Utah Valley University before walking onto the University of Utah's football team as a placekicker. This late switch unlocked a powerful and accurate leg. After winning the Lou Groza Award as college football's best kicker, he entered the league facing the intense pressure and short leashes inherent to the position. He weathered being cut, bouncing between teams, and the constant scrutiny of the specialist's role. His moment of ultimate validation came on the sport's biggest stage, booting the game-winning field goal for the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI, a testament to the steady nerve he forged through years of uncertainty.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Matt was born in 1994, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Matt Was Born
The biggest hits of 1994
#1 Movie
The Lion King
Best Picture
Forrest Gump
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Matt's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1994Born
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1999Started school
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2007Became a teenager
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2010Could drive
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2012Could vote
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2015Turned 21
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2024Turned 30
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 32 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Kicked the game-winning 30-yard field goal with 1:45 remaining to secure a 23-20 victory for the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI.
- Won the Lou Groza Award in 2017 as the nation's top collegiate placekicker while at the University of Utah.
- Led the NFL in field goal percentage (93.1%) during the 2020 season as a member of the Indianapolis Colts.
- Set a Rams franchise record by making 34 consecutive field goal attempts across the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Did You Know?
He served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Philippines before attending college.
He played one season of Division I soccer as a goalkeeper at Utah Valley University.
He is one of only a few kickers to be selected in the NFL draft since 2016, taken by Tampa Bay in the fifth round in 2019.
He made a 48-yard field goal as time expired to win his first career NFL game with the Buccaneers in 2019.
“I was a soccer player who just happened to have a big leg.”
