The Washington Commanders made history in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs, winning their first postseason game in 16 years. They also made unexpected headlines for the way kicker Zane Gonzalez handled himself in the moments prior to his walk-off game-winning field goal, with the NBC broadcast and social media alike joking about Gonzalez’s seemingly ritualistic adjustments of his hair, helmet and socks.
It turns out Gonzalez’s actions weren’t entirely equivalent to, say, an MLB player adjusting his gloves out of superstition near the batter’s box. The longtime kicker has actually battled obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) since he was a child, as The Washington Post noted this week. Gonzalez has also openly discussed his OCD in the past, including when he played for the Carolina Panthers from 2021-2022.
“If anything, it makes my wife and family more upset than it does with me,” Gonzalez said of the jokes that surround his mannerisms, via The Post. “I’m used to it. … Everybody that’s known or seen me kick has seen me do it millions of times. Being on such a big stage on Sunday night, [kicking] a game-winner, it draws a little bit more attention, I’ve learned. It’s who I am, and it’s what I go…
