Cairo Santos Bio
Cairo Fernandes Santos, born on 12 November 1991 in Limeira, São Paulo, Brazil, is a Brazilian-American professional American football placekicker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 173 pounds, Santos first developed his kicking skills playing soccer in Brazil before moving to the United States as a teenager. He is recognized as the first Brazilian-born player in NFL history, having made his regular-season debut with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2014. Santos is a naturalized United States citizen and continues to be one of the most reliable kickers in the league.
Over more than a decade in the NFL, Cairo Fernandes Santos has built a reputation for accuracy, clutch performances, and durability. After an award-winning college career at Tulane, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He went on to play for several teams before settling with the Chicago Bears in 2020, where he has been a cornerstone of the special teams unit.
Early Life and Background
Cairo Fernandes Santos was born in Limeira, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. He was raised in Brasília, the capital, where his father worked as a pilot for Varig. Growing up, Santos was unfamiliar with American football and focused on soccer, the dominant sport in his home country. It was his background in soccer that gave him the leg strength and accuracy he would later apply to placekicking.
At the age of 15, Santos moved to St. Augustine, Florida, as a foreign exchange student, originally planning to stay for just one year to learn English. He enrolled at St. Joseph Academy, where his kicking skills translated well to American football. Recognizing an opportunity to earn a college scholarship, Santos chose to remain in the United States and dedicate himself to developing into a top-tier kicker.
Path to American Football
Santos’s transition from soccer to football came naturally once he discovered the similarities between striking a soccer ball and kicking a football. He began training seriously in American-style placekicking during his high school years at St. Joseph Academy. His rapid development drew the attention of several college programs.
On 22 January 2010, Santos committed to Tulane University, where he was also pursued by Georgia Tech, Jacksonville, and Miami (OH). He played in all 12 games as a freshman, was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team, and led the Tulane Green Wave in scoring while handling kickoff duties. By his sophomore season, Santos had established himself as one of the most dependable kickers in the conference.
Cairo Santos Career
Early Career (2010-2013)
During his freshman year at Tulane, Cairo Fernandes Santos appeared in all 12 games and made 13 of 16 field goal attempts, along with 32 of 33 extra points. As a sophomore, he added punting and kickoff duties to his responsibilities, finishing second on the team in scoring. Santos showed steady growth in each of his early college seasons, building a foundation for a breakthrough year.
His 2012 junior season was historic. Santos converted all 21 of his field goal attempts, an NCAA Division I record for most made field goals in a single season without a miss, and set a Tulane record with a 57-yard field goal. He was named a Consensus All-American and won the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s most outstanding placekicker. Santos was also named First-Team All-Conference USA in 2012 and 2013. He finished his college career by competing in the 2014 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, where he connected on a 39-yard field goal.
Kansas City Chiefs Breakthrough (2014-2017)
Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Kansas City Chiefs on 19 May 2014, Cairo Fernandes Santos beat out veteran Ryan Succop for the starting kicker job. On 7 September 2014, he became the first Brazilian-born player to appear in an NFL regular-season game, kicking his first career field goal in a loss to the Tennessee Titans. After missing his first two field goals, Santos connected on 13 straight attempts, including a game-winning kick against the San Diego Chargers and a 53-yarder versus the St. Louis Rams.
In 2015, Santos tied a single-game NFL record by kicking seven field goals against the Cincinnati Bengals, two of which came from beyond 50 yards. He finished that season with 30 of 37 field goals made. The following year, he converted 31 of 35 field goals, was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month in November, and led the Chiefs to the playoffs. Santos became the first Brazilian to play in a postseason game, making three field goals and three extra points in a Wild Card win over the Houston Texans. In 2017, a groin injury led to his placement on injured reserve and eventual release.
Journeyman Years (2017-2019)
After being waived by the Chiefs, Cairo Fernandes Santos signed with the Chicago Bears in November 2017, appearing in five games before a groin injury ended his season. In March 2018, he joined the New York Jets but was released before the regular season. Santos was then signed by the Los Angeles Rams in October 2018 as a temporary replacement for Greg Zuerlein, where he made a game-winning 39-yard kick against the Seattle Seahawks. Later that season, he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and made his 100th career field goal.
In 2019, Santos signed with the Tennessee Titans after Ryan Succop went on injured reserve. He had a perfect debut, connecting on all of his kicks in a 43-13 win over the Cleveland Browns, but was released after missing four field goal attempts in a Week 5 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Across these three seasons, Santos appeared with five different teams, demonstrating the resilience and consistency that made him a sought-after specialist.
Chicago Bears Era (2020-Present)
Cairo Fernandes Santos was re-signed by the Chicago Bears in August 2020 after being released and then elevated from the practice squad ahead of the season opener. He made both of his field goal attempts and all three extra points in a 27-23 win over the Detroit Lions. Santos finished 2020 by making 36 of 37 extra points and 30 of 32 field goal attempts, including a career-long 55-yarder against the Carolina Panthers, and set a franchise record with 27 consecutive made field goals.
On 11 March 2021, Santos signed a three-year contract extension worth 9 million dollars with the Bears. He continued to be a model of consistency through the 2022 and 2023 seasons, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors multiple times. On 23 December 2023, he signed a four-year extension worth 16 million dollars, with 9.5 million guaranteed, running through the 2027 season. In 2024, Santos set a single-season Bears record with eight field goals of 50 yards or longer.
Driving Style and Strengths
Cairo Fernandes Santos is known for his accuracy, mental toughness, and adaptability to difficult weather and field conditions. His leg strength, honed from years of playing soccer in Brazil, allows him to convert from beyond 50 yards with consistency. He has earned a reputation as a clutch performer, often delivering game-winning kicks under pressure. His ability to adjust his technique in heavy wind, as demonstrated in a December 2024 win over the Green Bay Packers, has been widely praised.
Notable Events and Milestones
Some of the most memorable moments of Cairo Fernandes Santos’s career include his NFL debut as the first Brazilian-born player in 2014, his seven-field-goal performance against the Bengals in 2015, and his game-winning 55-yard kick against the Carolina Panthers in 2020. In 2024, he made a 51-yard game-winner at Lambeau Field to defeat the Green Bay Packers 24-22, a moment he later described as a defining memory. He also surpassed Robbie Gould for the most 50-yard field goals in Bears history.
Cairo Santos Career Wins
Throughout his NFL career, Cairo Fernandes Santos has been recognized as one of the most consistent placekickers in the league. He has delivered numerous game-winning kicks and set team records for accuracy and distance. While exact win totals are not tallied for individual kickers, his career statistics through 2025 include 266 of 312 field goals made, a success rate of 85.3 percent, and 346 of 362 extra points made, totaling 1,144 career points.
NFL Highlights
Cairo Fernandes Santos has made game-winning kicks for the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Bears, and other teams throughout his career. His first game-winning field goal came against the San Diego Chargers in 2014, and he has continued to deliver in clutch moments ever since. In 2020, he made a 38-yard game-winner against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a career-long 55-yarder versus the Carolina Panthers. He has also earned multiple NFC Special Teams Player of the Week and Player of the Month honors.
Other Wins and Performances
In addition to his regular-season success, Santos has performed well in the postseason, most notably during the 2015 playoffs with the Kansas City Chiefs. He made multiple long field goals in the Wild Card victory over the Houston Texans and added two more in a Divisional Round loss to the New England Patriots. Across the 2018, 2020, and 2024 seasons, he set several team records for consecutive makes and 50-yard field goals, reinforcing his status among the NFL’s elite kickers.
Cairo Santos Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Cairo Fernandes Santos’s family background is rooted in Brazil. His father was a pilot for Varig, the former Brazilian airline. The family lived in Brasília during Cairo’s early years before he moved to the United States as a teenager.
Personal Life
On 15 September 2013, Santos’s father died in a plane crash in Brazil. Santos has spoken publicly about the deep bond he shared with his father, noting that he points to the sky after every successful kick in his honor. In 2016, during the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats campaign, Santos honored Chapecoense, the Brazilian football club devastated by a 2016 plane crash in Colombia, in tribute to those affected by aviation tragedies. He became a naturalized United States citizen, embracing his dual Brazilian-American identity.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been a challenging year for Cairo Fernandes Santos and the Chicago Bears. In the season opener against the Minnesota Vikings, Santos made a 42-yard field goal but missed another from 50 yards, and a late kickoff that failed to reach the end zone contributed to a three-point loss. In Week 4, he made all four of his field goal attempts in a 25-24 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, but suffered a quadriceps injury that kept him out of the next two games.
Santos returned in Baltimore and later made a game-winning 48-yard field goal against the Vikings in Week 11, also converting a 54-yard kick to surpass Robbie Gould for the most 50-yard field goals in Bears history. In Week 16, he successfully made all three of his field goal attempts against the Green Bay Packers in heavy winds, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. He finished the 2025 season by converting all 39 extra point attempts and 25 of 30 field goal attempts.
