A former Irish placekicker was inducted Monday into Plymouth (Mich.) High School Athletics Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class.
Kyle Brindza was a three-sport athlete for the Wildcats, handling all kicking and punting duties in football, tending the net in soccer and throwing the shot put and discus for the track and field team. The Hall of Fame ceremony also recognized the 2010 football team, which lost in the state championship finals after amassing an 11-3 record. Brindza had an outstanding playoff that year, helping the Wildcats first secure the Michigan Division 1 regional championship with a game-winning field goal with less than a minute to play. He also boomed a 70-yard punt – the longest in Michigan playoff history – and knocked in a 43-yard field goal in the championship game.
Brindza was among 13 individuals considered for the first Hall of Fame class, after having been named to the Detroit News’ “Dream Team” as both a junior and senior as well as an all-state kicker by the Associated Press following his senior season.
Brindza also holds 11 Notre Dame records, including most field goals in a game (5 vs. Rutgers in the 2013 Pinstripe Bowl, which is also a NCAA bowl game record); single-season scoring by a place kicker (98 in 2013); single-season field goals (23 in 2012); single-season extra-point percentage (38-for-38 in 2013); and longest field goal (53 yards vs. Arizona State in 2013). Brindza was honored by his teammates as “Special Teams Player of the Year” during a post-season awards ceremony in 2013.
Brindza is currently an NFL free agent. He signed with the Detroit Lions after not being selected in the 2015 NFL Draft. He was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he struggled after winning the starting job. Brindza kicked a career-long 58-yard field goal in a Week 3 game against the Texans, but missed three other field goals and an extra point in that same game. He was waived one week later after missing 2 field goals and an extra point.
Brindza latched on with the New York Jets, but tore his Achilles tendon just one week after signing. The Jets waived him in February. Since that time, Brindza has been instructing at kicking camps and making slow, but steady progress in his return to normal walking.
Day 85 post Achilles rupture and I have taken my first steps. Making progress, but still a long way to go. #Day85 pic.twitter.com/PDgqZ8CMxt
— Kyle Brindza (@kyle_brindza) May 10, 2016
Brindza’s journey is even more remarkable when you consider that he was born with clubbed feet that required multiple surgeries to repair during the first 11 years of his life.
Congratulations to Kyle on his honor and we hope to see him back in the NFL in 2017!
Field Goals | Kickoffs | ||||||||||
Year | G | Made | ATT | Long | Pct | No | Yds | Avg | TB | ||
2011 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 71 | 4,635 | 65.3 | 12 | ||
2012 | 13 | 23 | 31 | 52 | 74.2 | 71 | 4,445 | 62.6 | 26 | ||
2013 | 13 | 20 | 26 | 53 | 76.9 | 75 | 4,692 | 62.6 | 35 | ||
TOTALS | 39 | 43 | 57 | 53 | 75.4 | 217 | 13,772 | 63.5 | 73 |
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