Will Reichard (born January 9, 2001 in Hoover, Alabama) is an American football player at the position of kicker. He played college football for the University of Alabama and has been under contract with the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL) since 2024.
Reichard grew up in Hoover, Alabama, where he first played soccer and then took up football in second grade. He visited the Hoover High School. Since he wasn’t a regular player there, Reichard initially considered moving to another high school. After his father died of pancreatic cancer in 2016, Reichard tore his cruciate ligament two months later during a charity soccer game to benefit cancer research. Nevertheless, Reichard ultimately became a regular player at his high school and was considered one of the best kickers in his senior year nationwide. Although he originally grew up as a Florida Gators fan, Reichard ultimately decided to accept a scholarship offer from the University of Alabama’s Alabama Crimson Tide, one of the Gators’ biggest rivals, in order to be closer to his family and because he wanted to play for head coach Nick Saban .[1][2]
Reichard played in college for Alabama from 2019 to 2023. As a freshman he was able to establish himself as a kicker for the Crimson Tide and was a regular player from then on, but missed the second half of the season due to a thigh injury. In the 2020 season, Reichard and his team won the national college football championship, the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. He converted all 14 field goal attempts and 84 extra points this season. Reichard was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award in 2020 and 2023. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Reichard was also eligible to play for a fifth year of college in the 2023 season. He was named to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Star team in 2023 as well as the SEC Special Teams Player of the Year chosen. With a total of 547 points (84 field goals and 295 extra points), Reichard held the NCAA record for most points scored at the end of his college career.[1][3][4]
Reichard was selected in the sixth round, 203rd overall, by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2024 NFL Draft. There he succeeded Greg Joseph.[5]
- ↑ a b Will Reichard on the Alabama Crimson Tide website. Retrieved October 1, 2024 (English).
- ↑ Alec Lewis: Why tough Alabama kicker Will Reichard was the guy the Vikings simply couldn’t pass up. In: The Athletic. August 2, 2024, accessed on October 1, 2024 (English).
- ↑ Katie Windham: Alabama K Will Reichard Changes Mind, Comes Back for Fifth Season on si.com. January 4, 2023, accessed on October 1, 2024 (English).
- ↑ Katie Windham: Why Will Reichard Came Back for Fifth Season on si.com. August 17, 2023, accessed on October 1, 2024 (English).
- ↑ Will Ragatz: Vikings Select Alabama Kicker Will Reichard in Sixth Round of 2024 NFL Draft on si.com. April 27, 2024, accessed on October 1, 2024 (English).