Andre Szmyt is not yet one of the biggest names in the NFL. In fact, many casual football fans may be seeing his name for the first time
That is exactly what makes his recent rise in search interest so interesting.
Szmyt is the kicker for the Cleveland Browns and has quietly built an impressive football career.
His path to the NFL was not the typical story of a highly recruited star who entered the league with huge expectations.
He started college football as a walk-on at Syracuse and eventually became one of the most decorated kickers in the school’s history.
The trend you are targeting is around 5,000 searches with an increase of roughly 1,000 percent.
That combination makes Szmyt an interesting example of how a relatively unknown player can suddenly become a popular search subject after one big performance.
So who is Andre Szmyt? How did he get to the NFL? Why is he with the Cleveland Browns? And what makes him an interesting kicker to watch?
Here is everything you need to know.
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Table of Contents
Who is Andre Szmyt?
Andre Szmyt is an American football placekicker who plays for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League.1
He played his college football at Syracuse University where he established himself as one of the best kickers in college football.
He won the Lou Groza Award in 2018, an honor given annually to the top collegiate placekicker in the country.
Szmyt was not an immediate star when he arrived at Syracuse. He joined the program as a walk-on during the 2017 season and redshirted his freshman year.
His opportunity came in 2018 and he quickly turned it into a remarkable season. According to the Lou Groza Award’s official profile, Szmyt made 28 of 32 field-goal attempts during his breakthrough 2018 season.
He also made all 57 of his extra-point attempts. His 141 points led the nation that season.
That performance transformed him from an unknown college kicker into one of the most recognizable specialists in college football.
His journey to the NFL was less straightforward. Szmyt went undrafted and originally signed with the Chicago Bears. He later spent time with the St. Louis Battlehawks of the UFL before getting another opportunity with Cleveland.
The Browns signed him to their practice squad in December 2024. Cleveland later signed him to a reserve/futures contract in January 2025.
He eventually earned a bigger opportunity with the Browns and became their regular kicker. The Browns’ official player profile lists Szmyt at 6 feet tall and 200 pounds.
He wears No. 25 and played at Syracuse in college. His story is therefore more than just a recent viral sports moment.
It is a story about a walk-on who became a college award winner and then worked his way through the professional ranks to become an NFL starter.
Cuse Nation,
It’s too hard to walk away with a year of eligibility left and that feeling like there’s unfinished business with this group. I’m looking to walk off like the year I walked on.
Let’s get it in 2022! https://t.co/Wz9AIEMlLa— Andre Szmyt (@AndreSzmyt) December 11, 2021
Why is Andre Szmyt trending?
The simplest answer is his performance for the Cleveland Browns. On October 1, 2026, Cleveland played Pittsburgh in a nationally watched AFC North matchup.
The Browns eventually won 27-24. The game was tied late in the fourth quarter.
Cleveland’s offense moved the ball into field-goal range and Szmyt was called upon to make the biggest kick of the night. He delivered.
Szmyt connected on a 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining. It was the longest field goal of his NFL career at that point and gave Cleveland a 27-24 lead.
Pittsburgh had one final chance but Cleveland’s defense intercepted Aaron Rodgers’ final pass to secure the win.
The Cleveland Browns themselves highlighted the kick in their official coverage, describing it as a 56-yard field goal that gave Cleveland the lead with 10 seconds remaining.
For a kicker who is not yet a household name, this is exactly the type of moment that can produce a sudden search spike.
Fans who watched the game may have known the Browns’ major stars. But after seeing Szmyt make the decisive kick, many viewers had the same question: Who is Andre Szmyt?
That question can quickly turn into searches about his age, college career, stats, background and NFL journey.
Stats Table
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Andre Szmyt |
| Position | Kicker |
| NFL team | Cleveland Browns |
| Jersey number | No. 25 |
| College | Syracuse |
| Hometown | Vernon Hills, Illinois |
| Height | 6 feet |
| Weight | 200 pounds |
| NFL experience | 2 seasons |
| 2026 games | 4 |
| 2026 field goals | 8-of-8 |
| 2026 FG percentage | 100% |
| 2026 extra points | 7-of-7 |
| 2026 longest FG | 56 yards |
| Career NFL field goals | 32-of-35 |
| Career NFL FG percentage | 91.4% |
| 2025 field goals | 24-of-27 |
| 2025 FG percentage | 88.9% |
| College | Syracuse Orange |
| Major college honor | 2018 Lou Groza Award winner |
Andre Szmyt’s 2026 season
Szmyt has started the 2026 season extremely well.2
Through four regular-season games, the Browns’ official statistics show him at 8-for-8 on field-goal attempts. That gives him a perfect 100 percent field-goal rate so far this season.
He has also made all seven of his extra-point attempts. His longest field goal is 56 yards.
His four games have included several important kicks. Against Jacksonville in Week 1, he made a 26-yard field goal.
Against Tampa Bay in Week 2, he made three field goals including a 50-yarder. He also made two extra points.
Against Carolina in Week 3, he made two field goals with a long of 48 yards. Then came his biggest performance against Pittsburgh.
He made both of his field-goal attempts including the 56-yard game-winning kick. He also converted all three extra points he attempted.
The Tampa Bay game was another major step in his 2026 season. Szmyt scored 11 of Cleveland’s 23 points in the Browns’ 23-19 victory. He made three field goals and two extra points.
That performance earned him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. The Browns confirmed the award on September 23, 2026.
So the current search spike is not based on one isolated kick. Szmyt has been consistently productive during the opening weeks of the season.
Andre Szmyt’s NFL career
Szmyt’s road to becoming an NFL kicker was not easy. He went undrafted and initially signed with the Chicago Bears.
Cleveland’s official records list his original signing with Chicago in 2024 before he was waived later that year. He then joined the Browns’ practice squad in December 2024.
The Browns initially signed him to their practice squad on December 24, 2024.
Cleveland’s announcement described him as a 6-foot, 200-pound kicker from Syracuse and noted that he had originally signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent.
He was released from Cleveland’s practice squad on December 31 but returned on a reserve/futures contract in January 2025.
The next major step came when Cleveland signed him to its active roster in June 2025. The Browns noted that he had also spent part of 2024 with the St. Louis Battlehawks of the UFL.
That background is important because it shows how difficult it can be for kickers to establish themselves in professional football. Unlike highly drafted quarterbacks or first-round defensive players, kickers often have to fight for opportunities.
Szmyt had to prove himself at Syracuse, go through the undrafted free-agent process and then compete for roster spots before establishing himself in Cleveland.
His 2025 season with the Browns
Szmyt’s first full NFL season came in 2025. According to the Browns’ official statistics, he appeared in all 17 games.
He made 24 of 27 field-goal attempts for an 88.9 percent success rate. He also made 25 of 26 extra-point attempts.
His longest field goal was 55 yards. Those numbers helped establish him as a reliable NFL kicker.
Through his first four games of 2026, he has already improved his field-goal percentage to 100 percent for the season.
His career numbers through four games of 2026 stand at 32 made field goals on 35 attempts. That is a 91.4 percent field-goal rate. He has also made 32 of 33 extra-point attempts during his NFL career.
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Andre Szmyt’s Syracuse career
Before becoming a professional, Szmyt built a remarkable college career at Syracuse. He arrived at Syracuse as a walk-on in 2017.
He redshirted his freshman year and then exploded onto the scene in 2018. That season remains the most important chapter of his college career.
Szmyt made 28 of 32 field-goal attempts and went 57-for-57 on extra points. His 141 points led the nation.
He also made three field goals from at least 50 yards. The Lou Groza Award recognized him as the best collegiate placekicker in the country.
Syracuse later described him as a record-setting kicker. The university’s profile lists him as the school’s all-time leader in points and notes that he finished his career with 85 made field goals.
It also credits him with 199 made extra points. Szmyt played five seasons at Syracuse.
His college career included several memorable performances. In 2022, for example, he made five field goals against Virginia.
One of those kicks was a game-winner. He also made a 54-yard field goal against Notre Dame that season.
These achievements explain why Szmyt was able to keep getting professional opportunities even after going undrafted.
What makes Andre Szmyt interesting?
The biggest thing that makes Szmyt interesting is his journey.3
He was not a famous recruit. He was not a first-round draft pick. He did not enter the NFL with a huge marketing machine behind him.
He started as a walk-on at Syracuse. Years later, he is kicking game-winning field goals for the Cleveland Browns.
That is a compelling sports story because it shows how long the development process can be for specialists. His recent performance also makes him relevant beyond Browns fans.
A 56-yard game-winning kick against a historic rival such as Pittsburgh is the type of moment that can introduce a player to millions of viewers. It is also worth noting that Szmyt has shown consistency rather than simply relying on one big kick.
He was perfect on his field-goal attempts through the first four games of 2026 and had already won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week before his game-winning kick against Pittsburgh.
Is Andre Szmyt a good NFL kicker?
The numbers strongly suggest that he has become a reliable NFL kicker.
His 2025 season ended with an 88.9 percent field-goal success rate. Through four games in 2026, he has made every field goal he has attempted.
His career percentage through four games of 2026 is 91.4 percent. He has also demonstrated that he can handle long attempts.
His NFL career-long entering the 2026 season was 55 yards and he extended that mark to 56 yards against Pittsburgh.
Of course, kickers can have difficult stretches. Weather, pressure and the distance of attempts can all influence their performance. But Szmyt’s early 2026 results have been impressive.
Why his name may keep appearing in searches
The current search spike around Andre Szmyt is a good example of how sports searches work. Fans do not always search for a player before a major event.
Sometimes they discover a player during a game. A dramatic kick creates an immediate question.
People want to know who made it. They search the player’s name and then look for basic information.
That appears to be what is happening with Szmyt. The search volume may still be small compared with players such as quarterbacks or star wide receivers.
But the percentage increase is significant because his starting point was relatively low. His story also has several strong search hooks:
- He is the Browns’ kicker.
- He won the 2018 Lou Groza Award.
- He started at Syracuse as a walk-on.
- He went undrafted.
- He played in the UFL.
- He became a full-time NFL player.
- He won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in 2026.
- He kicked a 56-yard game-winner against Pittsburgh.
That combination makes Andre Szmyt a particularly interesting name for readers who want to understand why an unfamiliar player suddenly appears in NFL searches.
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FAQ’s
Who is Andre Szmyt?
Andre Szmyt is a professional football kicker for the Cleveland Browns. He played college football at Syracuse and won the 2018 Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top collegiate kicker.
How old is Andre Szmyt?
Szmyt is 28 years old according to the Cleveland Browns’ current player profile.
What team does Andre Szmyt play for?
Andre Szmyt plays for the Cleveland Browns in the NFL. He wears No. 25.
Where did Andre Szmyt go to college?
Szmyt attended Syracuse University. He played five seasons for the Syracuse Orange and became one of the best kickers in program history.
Did Andre Szmyt win the Lou Groza Award?
Yes. Szmyt won the Lou Groza Award in 2018. The award recognizes the top collegiate placekicker in the United States.
Conclusion
Andre Szmyt may have been an unfamiliar name to many NFL fans just a short time ago but his recent performances are changing that quickly. His journey is particularly interesting because he did not arrive in professional football as a highly drafted star.
He started as a walk-on at Syracuse, became a Lou Groza Award winner and established himself as one of the school’s best kickers.
For a player whose name may have attracted only a small amount of search interest before his latest performance, the sudden increase is easy to understand.
Fans saw an unfamiliar kicker make a pressure-filled kick in a major NFL rivalry game. Naturally, they wanted to know who he was.
And the answer is simple: Andre Szmyt is a former Syracuse walk-on, a Lou Groza Award winner and an NFL kicker who has worked his way into an important role with the Cleveland Browns.
If his early 2026 form continues, the name that many fans are searching for today may become much more familiar as the NFL season moves forward.
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