Rodrigo Blankenship

BIOGRAPHY

Rodrigo John Blankenship, known to his fans as “Hot Rod,” was born on January 29th, 1997, in Marietta, Georgia, to parents Ken and Izabella Blankenship. Proudly drawing from his Brazilian heritage through his maternal grandparents, Blankenship started his athletic career by playing soccer for several years before shifting his focus to football at the age of 10. Attending Sprayberry High School, he showcased his exceptional skills in football by participating in the 2014-2015 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. During his high-school years, he was ranked by 247sports.com as the ninth-best kicker in the country.

In 2015, Blankenship was admitted to Georgia as a preferred walk-on player, redshirting his first year. As a redshirt freshman, he earned his place as the starting kicker for the Georgia Bulldogs. During the 2016 season, he achieved a commendable 14-for-18 on field goals and 26-for-26 on extra points. Further demonstrating an exemplary performance, he led the team in scoring and was named to the All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) Freshman team. His consistent hard work and dedication earned him a full athletic scholarship in his redshirt sophomore season in 2017.

Blankenship’s breakthrough moment came in the 2018 Rose Bowl, where he kicked a record-long 55-yard field goal, a pivotal play that influenced the momentum and led Georgia to a 54-48 overtime victory against Oklahoma. Despite Georgia’s ultimate defeat in the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship game against Alabama, Blankenship managed to hit a 51-yard field goal in overtime, putting his team momentarily ahead.

Over the course of his collegiate career, Blankenship managed to never miss a single extra point (200/200) and significantly improved his touchback records. Moreover, he received the prestigious Lou Groza award in 2019, recognizing him as the nation’s top placekicker. Later, Blankenship also graced the SEC Football Community Service Team for his remarkable contributions to the sport.

Following his successful college football journey, Blankenship moved to the NFL, joining the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent on April 29, 2020. Throughout his regular-season games, Blankenship converted 43 out of 45 extra point attempts and made 32 out of 37 field goal tries, earning him a place on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. However, after suffering a hip injury, he was sidelined, leading to the termination of his contract in the following season after missing several field goals. He later had tryouts with several other teams such as the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Arizona Cardinals.

Despite the setback, Blankenship continued his journey and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on June 15, 2023. Nevertheless, he was released on August 21, 2023, after losing the kicker competition to Chase McLaughlin.

Outside his athletic career, Blankenship is a known aficionado of LEGO products and has formed an enduring friendship with LEGO internet personality Ryan McCullough (MandRproductions). He is also an avid shoe collector and pet owner to a cat named Lucas. Furthermore, he shares an interesting symbolism with sports legends like Eric Dickerson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for wearing glasses during games, encouraging that performance in the field should solely define an athlete.

In his academic career at Georgia, Blankenship studied digital and broadcast journalism, focusing primarily on sports journalism. He even ventured into music in 2018, releasing a rap song titled “ATD.” In recognition of his academic prowess, in 2020, Blankenship was bestowed the Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. Drawing influence from his father Ken, who coached him from fifth grade through high school and himself having football lineage, Blankenship has established a significant presence in American football, exploring possibilities, overcoming setbacks and leaving an indelible mark in the sport.