Eddy Pineiro

Eddy Pineiro's Biography

Eddy Piñeiro Jr., born on September 13, 1995, and is an accomplished American professional football placekicker currently playing for the Carolina Panthers in the National Football League (NFL). Prior to his time with the Panthers, Eddy signed on with the Oakland Raiders in 2018 as an undrafted free agent and joined the Chicago Bears the following year. He stands out as the second highest in NFL history in terms of career field goal percentage with an impressive rate of 89.6%.

Eddy was born in Miami, Florida, the child of a Cuban father and a Nicaraguan mother. His father, Eddy Sr., immigrated to the United States from Cuba when he was just nine during the Mariel boatlift of 1980. Eddy Sr. pursued a professional soccer career, becoming a player with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the ASL/APSL.

Like his father, Eddy himself initially made his athletic pursuits towards soccer. He became a four-time All-Dade County selection in the sport and was only introduced to football in his senior season at Miami Sunset Senior High School, taking over the responsibility of handling extra points and kickoffs.

Eddy secured a scholarship to play soccer at Florida Atlantic, but academic difficulties prevented him from attending. Encouraged by his father, Eddy donned football cleats and pads and triumphed despite the absence of a football scholarship. He played soccer for a small junior college, ASA College.

In 2015, Eddy attended an open kicking combine at Alabama, where, out of hundreds of kickers, only he and Chris Salek received scholarship offers from Alabama coach Nick Saban. Initially committing to Alabama, Eddy later tried out for Florida and ended up choosing to play there. Special Teams Coordinator Marc Nudelberg played a significant role in drawing Eddy to UF.

During his tenure with the Gators in the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Eddy made significant achievements, finishing his final year with an impressive 94.4% conversion rate. His career conversion rate of 88.4% ranks him first in UF history among those with a minimum of 35 attempts.

Despite the promising start, Eddy went undrafted in the 2018 NFL draft. However, the Oakland Raiders signed him as an undrafted free agent on May 4, 2018. After a year with the team, he was traded to the Chicago Bears in 2019.

During his time with the Bears, Eddy made remarkable strides. He participated in the Bears’ 2019 summer kicking competition, emerging as the winner. His impressive performance, including connecting on 8 out of 9 field goals, solidified his position within the Bears.

In addition to his success with field goals, Eddy’s career has had its fair share of notable moments. One of these came in the first regular season game of 2019 against the Green Bay Packers, wherein Eddy scored the Bears’ only points, a 38-yard field goal. Another came in Week 2 when he kicked a game-winning 53-yard field goal, securing a win over the Denver Broncos. This outstanding performance earned him the title of National Football Conference (NFC) Special Teams Player of the Week.

After his successful 2019 season with the Bears, Eddy missed the entirety of the 2020 season due to a groin injury. He returned to play in 2021, signing with the Colts in May. He was, however, waived in August of the same year. He had short stints with the Washington Football Team, from whom he was released in a week, followed by the New York Jets. He notably went 8-for-8 on field goals and 9-for-10 on extra points while with the Jets.

In 2022, Eddy found his way to the Carolina Panthers after a brief period as a free agent following his release by the Jets. His career with the Panthers already boasts significant milestones. In Week 8, he missed two potential game-winning kicks against the Atlanta Falcons, only to bounce back in Week 14 with 12 points.

Eddy, a dedicated Christian, and his father were awarded the Police Service Award from the Gainesville Police Department in 2017 for intervening in a domestic violence incident to aid a woman in escape.

Adding to his unique heritage, Eddy is the first player of Nicaraguan descent to play in the NFL. Before a game against the Raiders in 2019 in London, he was presented a glass sculpture as a gift from Nicaragua’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, recognition of his achievement in bringing attention to his mother’s homeland.

With his exceptional talent and inspiring tenacity, Eddy Piñeiro Jr. has carved out a significant and meaningful place for himself within the NFL, establishing a path that future players of similar backgrounds can follow. Through his ups and downs, he has never lost sight of the goal and has continued to put in hard work, resulting in an impressive career trajectory that speaks volumes about the potential of undrafted players in making an impact on the field.