Zane Gonzalez is opening up about his relationship with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) after television cameras captured his pre-kick routine during this past weekend’s wild-card round win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Gonzalez, who is in his first season with the Washington Commanders, was seen alternating between fixing his hair, adjusting his socks, and placing his helmet on and off his head.
Moments after Gonzalez completed his ritual, he nailed a 37-yard field goal to lift the Commanders to a 23-20 victory over the Bucs. Washington will travel to Detroit to take on the top-seeded Lions in the divisional round.
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While there was some speculation that Gonzalez’s actions were merely part of a sports superstition, the kicker said it actually stems from his OCD.
“If anything, it makes my wife and family more upset than it does with me,” Gonzalez told The Washington 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, 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.”
Gonzalez was diagnosed with the disorder during his childhood, and this is not the first time he has spoken out about his condition. In 2017, he told ESPN, “OCD makes you a perfectionist and more detail-oriented. Off the field, it’s a pain in the butt.”
The former Arizona State kicker said he had implemented methods to counter some of the impacts the disorder has on his daily life and has applied those practices to his game day preparations.
“There’s a few things I try to do to keep it as under-the-radar as I can, just understanding, get it done and whatever gets me mentally ready to go on the field, do that,” he said. “The helmet thing is literally the last thing I do.”
Gonzalez did not kick in the NFL in 2022 or 2023, but he was signed to Washington’s practice squad in November 2024 and later elevated to the active roster. He was 5-for-7 on field goals this season, while also making 100% of his extra point attempts.
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