One of the surprise stars of Week 1 in the NFL was an 27-year-old kicker from Italy who finally made it in the NFL thanks to a unique skill

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September 12, 2017 7:15 PM

After years of looking for an opportunity to kick in the NFL, Giorgio Tavecchio got his chance with the Raiders on Sunday and made the most of it

Even before the Raiders came to have one of the most high-octane offenses in the league, there was one position every member of Raider Nation could count on thanks to the reliable leg of Sebastian Janikowski.

The Raiders powerful kicker has been with the organization for the entirety of his career after being taken in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft. This year however, Janikowski finds himself sidelined with a back injury to start the season, so when the Raiders lined up for a 52-yard attempt against the Titans on Sunday, there was a new face (and leg), behind the ball.

That leg belonged to Giorgio Tavecchio, a 27-year-old from Italy who has been a regular feature of training camps and preseason rosters around the league but never got the chance to put his boot to use in a regular season game until Sunday.

He made the most of his opportunity, going four-for-four on field goal attempts including two 52-yard kicks that sailed through the uprights with ease, as well as being perfect for the Raiders on extra-point attempts.

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