John Parker Romo Bio
John Parker Romo (born August 24, 1997) is an American professional football placekicker. He played college football for the University of Central Arkansas, the University of Tulsa, and Virginia Tech before beginning his professional career as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints in 2022.
Across his career, Romo has moved between several NFL rosters and practice squads, including stops with the Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, and New England Patriots. He also spent the 2023 season with the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL, where his strong performance earned him All-XFL honors. As of late 2025, he is a member of the Atlanta Falcons.
Early Life and Background
John Parker Romo was born on August 24, 1997, in Peachtree City, Georgia. He grew up in the same community where he later attended high school, attending McIntosh High School in Peachtree City. The Atlanta-area upbringing placed him near a strong football culture that helped shape his early interest in the kicking game.
Standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and listed at 175 pounds, Romo developed the leg strength and accuracy that would later define his professional profile during his high school years. He is of Mexican descent, a background that has been noted in coverage of his personal story.
Path to American Football
Romo began his college career at the University of Central Arkansas, where as a true freshman he worked mostly as a kickoff specialist for the Bears. He finished that season with 2,556 yards on 44 kickoffs, recording seven touchbacks across eight games while averaging 58.1 yards per kickoff. He did not convert his only field goal attempt that year, learning the speed and demands of the college kicking game.
He transferred to the University of Tulsa between semesters, joining the Golden Hurricane as a walk-on. He again handled kickoff duties early in the season before taking on most of the placekicking responsibilities in the second half. Over 12 games, he averaged 61.1 yards per kickoff, made 17 of 18 extra points, and connected on two of his five field goal attempts.
Romo transferred once more, this time to Virginia Tech, where he spent his final three collegiate seasons with the Hokies from 2019 through 2021. He served exclusively as a kickoff specialist in 2019 and 2020 before adding field goal duties in 2021, when he finished with 18 field goals made on 22 attempts and a perfect 34-for-34 mark on extra points.
John Parker Romo Career
Early Career (2022)
Following the 2022 NFL draft, the New Orleans Saints signed Romo as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia Tech on May 16, 2022. He was released on August 15 during roster cutdowns but was brought back just four days later. His brief first stint in New Orleans gave him his initial taste of an NFL training camp.
That short Saints stay laid the foundation for the journeyman path that has defined his early pro career, as he would bounce between several teams in search of an opportunity to establish himself.
San Antonio Brahmas Breakthrough (2023)
Romo joined the San Antonio Brahmas for the 2023 XFL season, and the spring league became his breakout stage. He played in all 10 Brahmas games and finished the season with 17 field goals made out of 19 attempted, scoring 51 total points. He also briefly held the XFL record for the longest field goal with a 57-yarder before Donny Hageman surpassed it with a 59-yard kick against the Houston Roughnecks.
His accuracy and leg strength in the spring league earned him a place on the 2023 All-XFL team, which was announced on May 8, 2023. He was also recognized as the XFL scoring leader for the season. The Brahmas released him on May 15, 2023, but his All-XFL campaign had already drawn the attention of NFL teams.
Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears (2023)
On May 15, 2023, the same day he was released by the Brahmas, Romo signed with the Detroit Lions following a successful tryout. He remained with Detroit through the preseason before being waived on August 29. Two days later, on August 31, 2023, he was signed to the Chicago Bears’ practice squad, where he stayed until being released on October 10, 2023.
Minnesota Vikings (2024)
Romo signed with the Minnesota Vikings on March 13, 2024, and spent most of the offseason program with the club before being waived on July 29. He was re-signed on November 5, 2024, as an injury replacement for Will Reichard. Five days later, Romo made his NFL debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars, converting all four of his field goal attempts and providing all of the scoring in a 12–7 Vikings victory. He was waived again on December 7, 2024.
New England Patriots (2024–2025)
On December 10, 2024, Romo signed to the New England Patriots’ practice squad, and on January 6, 2025, he signed a reserve and future contract. During the 2025 preseason, Romo lost the kicking competition to rookie Andrés Borregales and was released by the Patriots as part of final roster cuts on August 26, 2025.
Atlanta Falcons Era (2025)
On September 9, 2025, Romo was signed to the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad amid struggles by incumbent kicker Younghoe Koo. He was elevated to the active roster on September 19, the same day Koo was released. In Week 9 against his former team, the New England Patriots, Romo missed a critical fourth-quarter extra point that would have tied the game, and the Falcons fell 24–23 on the road. He was waived on November 4, 2025, in favor of Zane Gonzalez.
Driving Style and Strengths
Romo has built his reputation on a strong, accurate leg that has shown up both on kickoffs and on long-range field goal attempts. His 57-yard field goal in the XFL ranked among the longest in league history, and he has consistently produced touchbacks throughout his career. His ability to come in on short notice and perform under pressure, as seen in his NFL debut with the Vikings, has been a defining trait.
Notable Events and Milestones
Romo’s signature moment came on November 10, 2024, when he debuted for the Minnesota Vikings and went 4-for-4 on field goals to supply every point in a 12–7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also earned All-XFL recognition in 2023 and finished that season as the XFL scoring leader with 51 points.
John Parker Romo Career Wins
Romo’s verified on-field results include one NFL win recorded in his debut with the Minnesota Vikings on November 10, 2024. His broader professional win totals at the NFL level are not fully catalogued in available sources, and his most notable results have come through accurate kicking rather than team championships.
XFL Highlights
In the 2023 XFL season with the San Antonio Brahmas, Romo converted 17 of 19 field goal attempts across 10 games and added extra points to finish with 51 total points. He earned All-XFL honors and was the league scoring leader, and he set a then-league record with a 57-yard field goal.
Other Wins and Performances
Romo’s college resume includes an 18-for-22 field goal season at Virginia Tech in 2021 and a perfect 34-for-34 mark on extra points the same year. He added 28 touchbacks in 12 games during his Tulsa season, showing the leg strength that has carried into his professional career.
John Parker Romo Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about John Parker Romo’s immediate family is limited. He was raised in Peachtree City, Georgia, attended McIntosh High School, and is of Mexican descent, according to biographical sources covering his background.
Personal Life
Romo was born in Peachtree City, Georgia, and grew up in the same community where he later attended high school. He is of Mexican descent, a part of his identity that has been highlighted in profiles of his journey to the professional level. Details about a spouse, partner, or children have not been publicly confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
Romo’s 2025 storyline began with a reserve and future contract in New England, followed by a preseason battle with rookie Andrés Borregales that he ultimately lost. His release from the Patriots on August 26, 2025, was quickly followed by an opportunity in Atlanta, where the Falcons signed him to the practice squad on September 9 amid kicker Younghoe Koo’s struggles. Romo was promoted to the active roster on September 19, the same day Koo was released, and took over the placekicking duties for Atlanta.
His most visible 2025 moment came in Week 9 against his former New England Patriots teammates, when a missed fourth-quarter extra point cost the Falcons a chance to tie the game in a narrow 24–23 road loss. The miss illustrated both the thin margin for error in his role and the pressure of late-season kicking situations. Through his time in Atlanta, Romo contributed consistent field goal accuracy while handling kickoff duties as well.
On November 4, 2025, the Falcons waived Romo in favor of veteran Zane Gonzalez, ending his 2025 stint in Atlanta. With the regular season winding down, his outlook for the remainder of 2025 depends on whether another team seeks a kicker for injury relief or playoff depth, given his track record of stepping in and producing on short notice.