Who is Nico Gramatica's dad? USF kicker has family legacy in NFL
Who is Nico Gramatica's dad? USF kicker has family legacy in NFL
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A familiar name kicked South Florida football to an upset win over a ranked Florida team last week. And today, Nico Gramatica brings his big leg to Hard Rock Stadium for a showdown with No. 6 Miami.
Gramatica went 3 of 4 in field goals for USF, none bigger than his last — and shortest. The Bulls were down by 1 with 2:25 left at The Swamp when quarterback Byrum Brown led a drive that started at their own 11-yard line all the way to the Gators' 2, setting up Gramatica for a 20-yard chip-shot field goal and the 18-16 win.
Fans of a certain age will remember his father, Martin Gramatica, who was one of the NFL's best kickers in the 2000s and was part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first Super Bowl team. Or maybe his uncle, Bill Gramatica, who set records at USF before starting his own NFL career.
Miami vs. USF: Updates, highlights, analysis from Week 3 college football game
Watch Miami vs USF game live on Fubo (free trial)
Miami fans have already seen firsthand what Gramatica is capable of: He became the first player in USF history to boot two 50-yard field goals in one game when the Bulls hosted Miami last season. Gramatica got USF on the board with a career-long 58-yard field goal, then booted a 51-yarder in the second quarter.
Who is Nico Gramatica's dad? Meet Martin Gramatica
Nico Gramatica comes from kicking royalty. His father, Martin Gramatica, was one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history. "Automatica" Gramatica played nine seasons in the NFL, kicking for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1999-2004), Indianapolis Colts (2004, 2006), Dallas Cowboys (2006) and New Orleans Saints (2007-2008). He made the Pro Bowl in 2000 and went 155 of 203 (76.4%) on field goals for his career, including 17 of 27 from 50 yards or more.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the elder Gramatica holds the NCAA record with a 65-yard field goal when he was at Kansas State in the 1990s. He won the Lou Groza Award in 1997 as college football's best kicker and earned All-America and All-Big 12 honors. The Bucs drafted him in the third round of the 1999 NFL draft, and Gramatica was the kicker for their Super Bowl team during the 2002 season. He is currently head coach of the Tampa Bay Strikers in the National Indoor Soccer League.
Nico Gramatica and Chase Leon: Explaining their viral moment
After Gramatica won the game at Florida, he celebrated with teammate Chase Leon, the team's punter and holder on field goals. ESPN cameras showed Gramatica holding Leon's face, and the screen-grabbed image went viral on social media. The tender moment had some fans wondering whether there was more to their relationship, but Leon put the kibosh on shippers by replying to an Instagram post by Outsports, an outlet that covers LGBTQ issues in sports, with "Not gay but thanks guys." He also responded to an AI-generated video of the two of them that circulated on X: “Not gay and not a fan of AI anymore!”
Is Nico Gramatica related to Bill Gramatica?
Nico Gramatica doesn't just have his father's legacy to uphold. His uncle, Bill Gramatica, kicked for the Bulls from 1998 to 2000. He is responsible for the longest field goal in team history, a 63-yarder in 2000 against Austin Peay. He played four seasons in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals (2001-2003) and Miami Dolphins (2004).
Bill Gramatica went 37 for 48 (77.1%) on field goals throughout his career and was 2 for 6 from 50 yards or more. But he is best known for one of the most unfortunate celebrations in sports history, tearing his ACL after making a kick in 2001.
Nico's other uncle, Santiago Gramatica, also kicked for USF from 2001 to 2004. He is third in USF history for points (246).
Nico Gramatica stats
Nico Gramatica handled kickoff duties and was USF's long-range field-goal kicker during his freshman year in 2024. He had 29 touchbacks on 68 kickoffs last season and attempted five 50-yard field goals, making three. Here are Gramatica's stats with USF:
2024: 3 for 5 (60%) on field goals, 1 for 1 on extra points
3 for 5 (60%) on field goals, 1 for 1 on extra points 2025: 5 for 6 (83%) on field goals, 4 for 4 on extra points
Where to watch Miami vs USF: TV schedule, streaming info
Date: Saturday, Sept. 13
Saturday, Sept. 13 Start time: 4:30 p.m. ET
4:30 p.m. ET TV: The CW
The CW Streaming: Fubo (free trial)
Miami vs. USF will broadcast nationally on The CW in Week 3 of the 2025 college football season. Thom Brenneman and Will Blackmon will call the game from the booth at Hard Rock Stadium with Wes Bryant reporting from the sidelines. Streaming options include Fubo, which offers a free trial for new subscribers.
Contributing: Ehsan Kassim, USA TODAY Sports
