Panthers' Ryan Fitzgerald: Misses lone field-goal attempt

Fitzgerald missed his only field-goal try but converted on both point-after attempts during Saturday's 16-14 loss to the Buccaneers.

Fitzgerald came up short on a 54-yard field-goal try in the third quarter of Saturday's loss. It was a miss that proved costly, as the Panthers lost by just two points. The rookie kicker from Florida State appeared in all 17 of Carolina's regular-season games in 2025, making 24 of 29 field-goal attempts and 27 of 30 point-after tries. However, he struggled from long range, converting on just two of five field-goal attempts from 50-plus yards. Under contract through the 2027 season, Fitzgerald is expected to at least compete for Carolina's top placekicker role heading into the 2026 season.