Italian kicker Giorgio Tavecchio signs with Atlanta Falcons

| American Football | 10/18/2018

The Atlanta Falcons announced Tuesday that they have signed Italian-born kicker Giorgio Tavecchio.

The move comes two days after Pro Bowl kicker Matt Bryant injured his hamstring while kicking a 57-yard field goal in the Falcons’ 34-29 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Tavecchio, 28, joined the Falcons briefly during the preseason and converted one extra-point attempt during Atlanta final preseason game against the Miami Dolphins. Tavecchio played in 16 games with the Oakland Raiders last season. In his lone NFL season, He made 16 of his 21 field goal attempts, including three from 50-plus yards, and 33 of his 34 extra point attempts. He has also spent time with the 49ers (2012), Packers (2013) and Lions (2013–2014) either as a practice squad player or during the offseason over the last six seasons.

Born in Milan, Italy in 1990 to a mother that worked for the U.S. Government and a father who restored antique furniture in Italy, Tavecchio has also lived in Connecticut, Rome, Moraga and Virginia during his childhood. In 2005, the family settled in Moraga. He attended Campolindo High School where he played football and soccer over his final three years.

He went on to star at Cal Berkely where he started all four seasons. During his time there, he made 48 of 64 field goals and 112 of 120 extra points.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn:

“Part of the reason of bringing some guys in [during the preseason] is contingency planning. If this situation ever came about, you’d like to be prepared for it. The leg strength, he was also a kickoff man, the accuracy that he has. He was somebody that we definitely had on our radar.”

 

 

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