Chad Ryland Bio
Chad Michael Ryland is an American professional football placekicker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall and weighing 195 pounds, he wears jersey number 38 and handles field goal and extra point duties for the Cardinals. He played college football for the Eastern Michigan Eagles and the Maryland Terrapins before being drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He is recognized for his strong leg, his accuracy in pressure situations, and his journey from high school walk-on tryout to established NFL kicker.
Ryland began his professional career in 2023 and has since become a reliable kicking option in the league. He earned conference honors at both Eastern Michigan and Maryland, and his performances in big moments have drawn attention from fans and coaches. In 2024, he joined the Arizona Cardinals midseason and quickly established himself as their primary placekicker.
Early Life and Background
Chad Michael Ryland was born on October 15, 1999, in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, in the United States. He grew up in the Lebanon area, where he attended Cedar Crest High School. During his early years, Ryland was a multi-sport athlete who focused mainly on soccer and baseball, and he did not initially consider football as a serious path for himself.
That changed when his father encouraged him to try out for the football team during his junior year of high school. After making the roster, Ryland quickly earned recognition as a placekicker, earning all-league and all-county honors in both of his seasons on the team. To sharpen his skills, he and his father would often sneak onto the school athletic field after it had closed for the day, and when staff told them to leave, they would briefly step away before returning so Ryland could keep practicing. His dedication paid off when he was ranked as a five-star kicker and the 24th-best nationally at his position by Kohl’s Kicking Camps.
Path to American Football
After high school, Ryland joined the Eastern Michigan Eagles as a walk-on, meaning he was not offered an athletic scholarship at the time. He won the starting placekicker job as a true freshman, an unusual achievement for an incoming player. In just his second college game, he converted a 24-yard field goal as time expired to upset heavily favored Purdue 20–19, a kick that became the most memorable of his early career and announced his arrival as a clutch performer.
His college journey continued at Eastern Michigan, where he developed into one of the program’s most reliable scorers. After the 2021 season, in which he set a team record with 104 points, he transferred to the University of Maryland for his final year of eligibility. In his only season with the Maryland Terrapins in 2022, he appeared in every game and was named second-team All-Big Ten, capping his college career on a strong note before declaring for the NFL Draft.
Chad Ryland Career
Early Career (2018–2022)
Ryland’s early career spanned five college seasons split between Eastern Michigan and Maryland. As a freshman at Eastern Michigan, he made 12 of 20 field goal attempts but converted all 41 of his point-after-touchdown tries. He was a second-team all-conference selection after the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, ranking in the top 20 nationally with an 84.6 percent field goal rate.
In 2021, he set an Eastern Michigan single-season scoring record with 104 points by making 19 of 22 field goals and all 47 of his extra-point attempts. He finished his Eastern Michigan career as the program’s all-time leading scorer with 309 points. His final college season at Maryland in 2022 saw him convert 19 of 23 field goal attempts, including a 3-for-6 mark on kicks longer than 50 yards, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors.
New England Patriots Era (2023–2024)
Ryland was selected by the New England Patriots in the fourth round, 112th overall, of the 2023 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he had a season highlighted by one of the most dramatic moments of his career. On Christmas Eve night against the Denver Broncos, after missing an earlier field goal and a point-after attempt, Ryland drilled a 56-yard field goal with two seconds remaining to give New England a 26–23 victory.
Despite that highlight, Ryland finished his rookie season having made 16 of 25 field goal attempts (64 percent) and 24 of 25 extra points (96 percent), with his field goal percentage the lowest in the league among qualified kickers. On August 27, 2024, he was waived by the Patriots as part of the final roster cuts after losing the kicking job to Joey Slye.
Arizona Cardinals Era (2024–Present)
On October 2, 2024, Ryland was signed to the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad. Just two weeks later, on October 15, he was promoted to the active roster following an injury to veteran kicker Matt Prater. He made an immediate impact, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Month honors for October after connecting on three game-winning field goals and going 8-for-9 on field goal attempts during the month.
On December 8, 2024, during a game against the Seattle Seahawks, Ryland briefly took over punting duties after punter Blake Gillikin was injured. He continued to handle kicking for the Cardinals through the remainder of the 2024 season. On March 8, 2026, Ryland re-signed with the Cardinals on a one-year contract, securing his place with the team heading into the next phase of his career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the most memorable moments of Ryland’s career are his walk-off 56-yard field goal for the Patriots against Denver on Christmas Eve 2023 and his trio of game-winning kicks for the Cardinals in October 2024 that earned him NFC Special Teams Player of the Month honors. He also became Eastern Michigan’s all-time leading scorer with 309 points, a record he still holds from his college tenure.
Chad Ryland Career Statistics
Through his NFL career as of the 2025 season, Chad Ryland has established himself as a starting-caliber placekicker. His career statistics reflect both his accuracy on extra points and his willingness to attempt longer field goal tries, including a career long of 58 yards.
NFL Regular Season Statistics
Ryland has appeared in regular season games for the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals. His career totals include 69 made field goals out of 90 attempts, a 76.7 percent success rate. He has also recorded 113 touchbacks and scored 293 total points in the regular season.
Other Awards and Performances
Ryland earned second-team All-MAC honors in both 2020 and 2021 at Eastern Michigan, and second-team All-Big Ten recognition in 2022 at Maryland. He was also named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for October 2024 during his first full month with the Arizona Cardinals.
| Statistic | Career Total |
|---|---|
| Field Goals Made | 69 |
| Field Goals Attempted | 90 |
| Field Goal Percentage | 76.7% |
| Longest Field Goal | 58 yards |
| Points Scored | 293 |
| Touchbacks | 113 |
Chad Ryland Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Ryland grew up in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, where his family supported his athletic development from a young age. His father played a central role in his transition to football, encouraging him to try out for the Cedar Crest High School team and regularly accompanying him to after-hours practice sessions on the school field. That family support helped shape his work ethic and dedication to his craft as a placekicker.
Personal Life
Chad Michael Ryland continues to build his professional career while maintaining ties to his hometown of Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Public details about his personal relationships, marital status, and family life beyond his parents are not widely documented in verified sources.
2025 Season Performance
Entering the 2025 NFL season, Chad Ryland held the starting placekicker role for the Arizona Cardinals after a strong finish to 2024. His NFC Special Teams Player of the Month award in October and his 8-for-9 accuracy that month provided a foundation of confidence heading into the new season. With the Cardinals’ offense frequently moving into field goal range, Ryland was expected to be a regular contributor to the team’s scoring efforts.
Throughout the 2025 season, Ryland continued to be a key figure in the Cardinals’ special teams unit, handling field goals, extra points, and kickoffs. His performance helped stabilize a Cardinals kicking game that had experienced turnover following Matt Prater’s injury. By the end of the regular season, his career statistics reflected his growth into a reliable NFL kicker, with his field goal percentage above 75 percent and his longest successful kick reaching 58 yards.
Following the 2025 season, Ryland’s standing with the Cardinals was reinforced when he re-signed with the team on a one-year contract. The deal signaled the organization’s confidence in his ability to remain their primary placekicker moving forward. His continued development and his track record of clutch kicks positioned him as a steady presence in Arizona’s special teams plans.
