Remembering Bill Gramatica Tearing His ACL Celebrating a Field Goal
By Brady Williams
![Former Arizona Cardinals kicker Bill Gramatica Former Arizona Cardinals kicker Bill Gramatica](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/Cardinals-v-Giants-X-f753da7395d8f5dc8d7851897c2a9050.jpg)
Kickers get a bum rap in the National Football League. Most kicks are mundane, and the few iconic ones a man will make only come around so often. The bad ones, of course, are often remembered even more vividly. A missed kick in a clutch situation can shatter a career and end a season. However, in December of 2001, Arizona Cardinals kicker Bill Gramatica manged to end his own season despite converting a field goal successfully.
About midway through the first quarter of a game against the New York Giants, Gramatica lined up for a 43-yard attempt. He easily drilled it, and was naturally excited -- but his celebration ended in catastrophe.
That leap resulted in a torn ACL. It was certainly a tough look for a rookie who had otherwise made 80% of his field goals in the 13 games he played that year. Still, when speaking to the Arizona Republic in 2010, Gramatica was able to muster up a sense of humor about the situation.
"You guys got it wrong," Gramatica said. "You said I got hurt jumping. My jump was excellent. It was my landing I needed to work on. It was funny."
Indeed, Gramatica will definitely be remembered, even if it's not for one of the best possible reasons. In a certain way, however, it's amazing that his name has now become a verb.
Tony Finau trying to Bill Gramatica himself celebrating a hole in one. Par 3 contest y’all!
— Trevor Reaske (@TrevorReaske) April 4, 2018
Gramatica's injury is still one of the more ridiculous ACL tears in sports history. Luckily, his lighthearted evaluation of the episode looking back means this story has a happy ending.