Bill Gramatica
Encyclopedia
Guillermo C. "Bill" Gramática (born July 10, 1978 in Buenos Aires
, Argentina
) is a former American football
placekicker
of the National Football League
. He was originally drafted by the Arizona Cardinals
in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft
and last played for the Tampa Bay Storm
of the Arena Football League in 2006. He played college football at FSU & USF. He red-shirted his freshman year at Florida State University and transferred to South Florida
when Sebastian Janikowski
arrived.
Gramática is perhaps best known for tearing a knee ligament in a celebratory leap with the Cardinals in 2001.
on December 15, 2001, Gramática jumped up in celebration and tore his ACL upon landing. He missed the rest of the season, finishing his rookie year with 16 field goals in 20 attempts. He played two more seasons for the Cardinals before signing with the New York Giants
in the 2004 offseason. However, he was released during the preseason. He played one game for the Miami Dolphins
in 2004 when kicker Olindo Mare
was injured, but was cut from the team after his first career miss on an extra point kick, which came in a one-point loss.
In the NFL, he made 37 of his 48 field goal
attempts and 60 of his 61 extra point
attempts.
of the Arena Football League. He had an inauspicious start to his Arena Football career, missing one of two extra point tries and all three of his field goal attempts in his first AFL half. Through eleven Arena games, he is 65-for-71 on extra points and 8-for-18 on field goals.
and the older brother of kicker Santiago Gramática
. He played college football
at the University of South Florida
. In 2000 while at USF, Bill kicked a 63-yard field goal that was the second-longest field goal in Division I college football history at the time only to his brother Martin's 65 yard field goal with Kansas State.
Bill also graduated from LaBelle High School
in the small town of LaBelle, Florida
, as did his two brothers.
Bill is in business with Martín, as a part of the Gramatica Group LLC. Gramatica Group, LLC provides architectural designs, engineering services, and complete design turnkey installation capabilities throughout the southeastern United States.
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
) is a former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was originally drafted by the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
and last played for the Tampa Bay Storm
Tampa Bay Storm
The Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa....
of the Arena Football League in 2006. He played college football at FSU & USF. He red-shirted his freshman year at Florida State University and transferred to South Florida
South Florida Bulls football
The South Florida Bulls are a Division I FBS college football program that plays its home games in Tampa, Florida. The team began playing in 1997, holding its first team meeting under a shade tree as the school had no proper football facilities on campus...
when Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Janikowski is a left-footed Polish placekicker who plays for the National Football League's Oakland Raiders. He is nicknamed The Polish Cannon because he is considered to have one of the strongest kicking legs in the league, and leads the NFL in kickoffs for touchbacks. He lives in...
arrived.
Gramática is perhaps best known for tearing a knee ligament in a celebratory leap with the Cardinals in 2001.
National Football League
After successfully kicking a 43-yard field goal in the first half of a game against the New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on December 15, 2001, Gramática jumped up in celebration and tore his ACL upon landing. He missed the rest of the season, finishing his rookie year with 16 field goals in 20 attempts. He played two more seasons for the Cardinals before signing with the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 2004 offseason. However, he was released during the preseason. He played one game for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 2004 when kicker Olindo Mare
Olindo Mare
Olindo Franco Mare is an American football placekicker for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996...
was injured, but was cut from the team after his first career miss on an extra point kick, which came in a one-point loss.
In the NFL, he made 37 of his 48 field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
attempts and 60 of his 61 extra point
Extra Point
Extra Point is a twice-daily, two-minute segment on ESPN Radio that covers generic sports-related topical news and opinion. The AM edition airs Monday through Saturday at various times between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET, and the PM edition airs Monday through Friday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET...
attempts.
Arena Football League
In 2006, he returned to football as the kicker for the Tampa Bay StormTampa Bay Storm
The Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa....
of the Arena Football League. He had an inauspicious start to his Arena Football career, missing one of two extra point tries and all three of his field goal attempts in his first AFL half. Through eleven Arena games, he is 65-for-71 on extra points and 8-for-18 on field goals.
Personal
Bill Gramática is the younger brother of fellow kicker Martín GramáticaMartin Gramatica
Martín Gramática is an Argentine-American former football placekicker.Gramática was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft after playing college football at Kansas State, and has also been a member of the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Dallas...
and the older brother of kicker Santiago Gramática
Santiago Gramática
Santiago Gramática is a former American football placekicker in the Arena Football League. He played college football at South Florida. Santiago is the youngest brother of NFL kicker Martín and Arena League kicker Bill.-High school and College:Santiago played his high school football in the small...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
. In 2000 while at USF, Bill kicked a 63-yard field goal that was the second-longest field goal in Division I college football history at the time only to his brother Martin's 65 yard field goal with Kansas State.
Bill also graduated from LaBelle High School
Labelle High School
LaBelle High School is a high school located in LaBelle, Florida. It is operated by the Hendry County Schools District. The school was founded in 1915 and has been accredited since 1921. A new, larger school was finished in 1979 in its current place. Edward A. Upthegrove Elementary is in the place...
in the small town of LaBelle, Florida
LaBelle, Florida
LaBelle is a city in and the county seat of Hendry County, Florida, United States. The population was 4,210 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 4,480 . It was named for Laura and Belle Hendry, daughters of pioneer cattleman Francis A...
, as did his two brothers.
Bill is in business with Martín, as a part of the Gramatica Group LLC. Gramatica Group, LLC provides architectural designs, engineering services, and complete design turnkey installation capabilities throughout the southeastern United States.