Chase McLaughlin

Chase McLaughlin's Biography

Chase Joseph McLaughlin, born on April 9, 1996, is a professional American football player renowned for his role as a placekicker. His football career began in college, where he played for the Illinois Fighting Illini. After college, he turned pro, joining the National Football League (NFL) in 2019. Throughout his career in the NFL, he served nine teams, including two organizations he returned to for second stints. He currently kicks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

While at Illinois, McLaughlin demonstrated exceptional accuracy on extra point attempts, achieving 79 from 79 tries. He also proved his might on field goals beyond the 50-yard mark, succeeding in 4 out of 6 attempts during his senior year. Starting his college journey as a walk-on, he ended up as the distinguished 2019 Bakken–Andersen Kicker of the Year award winner and was selected for the First-team All-Big Ten Conference. Throughout his college career, he set records including becoming the first Illinois kicker to score field goals of over 50 yards in three consecutive games, and achieved an experimental school record by scoring five 50-plus yard field goals.

Despite McLaughlin’s remarkable college feats, he went undrafted in the 2019 NFL draft. However, he still managed to make his way into the big leagues as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills. His tenure with the Bills was short-lived as he was waived in August 2019. The Minnesota Vikings picked him for their practice squad in September 2019; however, he was released again in under two weeks.

October 1, 2019, saw McLaughlin signing with the Los Angeles Chargers, stepping in for the injured Chargers’ kicker Michael Badgley, and providing relief for the Chargers’ punter, Ty Long. Notwithstanding, he was waived by the Chargers in the same month. On November 7, 2019, the San Francisco 49ers saw potential in McLaughlin and signed him on when their prime kicker Robbie Gould suffered an injury. Here, he showcased his barrier-breaking skills by making three of four field goals during a week-10 Monday Night Football match against the Seattle Seahawks.

On December 4, the Indianapolis Colts claimed Chase off waivers to fill in for the injured Adam Vinatieri. The climax of his Colts journey was on December 30, 2019, when he signed a one-year extension that extended his contract with the team through 2020. Despite being waived by the Colts in 2020, he soon found his stride again with the Minnesota Vikings and subsequently with the Jacksonville Jaguars in the same year, filling in for the injured Josh Lambo.

After being waived by several teams between 2020 and 2021, including the Jaguars, New York Jets, and Cleveland Browns, he was once again claimed by the Colts, after they released Rodrigo Blankenship. In Week 5 of the 2022 season, he made four field goals for the Colts, including two over 50 yards, in a tight 12-9 victory over the Denver Broncos, earning the prestigious title of AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

By the end of March 2023, McLaughlin had signed contracts with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Consequently, he was named the Buccaneers’ placekicker for the 2023 season following the release of Rodrigo Blankenship from the team. His outstanding performance with the Buccaneers led the franchise to sign a three-year, $12.3 million contract extension on 11th March 2024, making it clear he was their kicker of choice. Chase Joseph McLaughlin’s journey is an inspiring testament to perseverance, skill, and dedication. His desired career, sometimes met with wavering stability, is a narrative of relentless pursuit and determination. Each setback he encountered has only propelled him to strive harder, rising to the occasion, mirroring the true spirit of an athlete.