The Washington Commanders made history in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs, winning their first postseason game in 16 years. They also made unexpected headlines for the way kicker Zane Gonzalez handled himself in the moments prior to his walk-off game-winning field goal, with the NBC broadcast and social media alike joking about Gonzalez's seemingly ritualistic adjustments of his hair, helmet and socks.
It turns out Gonzalez's actions weren't entirely equivalent to, say, an MLB player adjusting his gloves out of superstition near the batter's box. The longtime kicker has actually battled obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) since he was a child, as The Washington Post noted this week. Gonzalez has also openly discussed his OCD in the past, including when he played for the Carolina Panthers from 2021-2022.
"If anything, it makes my wife and family more upset than it does with me," Gonzalez said of the jokes that surround his mannerisms, via The Post. "I'm used to it. ... Everybody that's known or seen me kick has seen me do it millions of times. Being on such a big stage on Sunday night, [kicking] a game-winner, it draws a little bit more attention, I've learned. It's who I am, and it's what I go through, and I, above everybody else, realize how crazy it looks doing it. I'm aware. But at the same time, you can't help it."
As defined by the Mayo Clinic, OCD "features a pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears known as obsessions," which lead to "repetitive behaviors, also called compulsions." Gonzalez's pre-kick compulsions, which on Sunday included repeated adjustments of his socks, and touching of his hair before strapping on his helmet, have apparently been part of his on-field routine since he was a teen.
"There's a few things I try to do to keep it as under-the-radar as I can ... [doing] whatever gets me mentally ready to go on the field" Gonzalez said, via The Post. "The helmet thing is literally the last thing I do."
Gonzalez has overcome the condition to give the Commanders clutch kicking in recent weeks. A perfect three-for-three on field goal tries against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round, he's also 16-for-16 in combined field goals and extra points over the team's last four games. He originally joined Washington in November as an emergency replacement for the injured Austin Seibert.
