Eddy Piñeiro signs with Indianapolis

Former Florida Gators kicker Eddy Pineiro is heading to Indianapolis.

Pineiro declared early prior to the 2018 NFL Draft but went undrafted. He signed a free agent contract with the Oakland Raiders, who had selected Florida punter Johnny Townsend in the same draft.

Pineiro was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 1, 2018. He was traded to the Chicago Bears for a conditional seventh round pick on May 6, 2019 and made the Bears' 53-man roster and had a game-winning kick in week two of the season against the Denver Broncos.

Piñeiro ended the 2019 season with 23 of 28 field goals made (82.1 percent). While the Bears brought in another kicker after the season Pinero was able to hold on to his job until a nagging groin injury sidelined him during the 2020 season. Pineiro became a free agent after the 2020 campaign and will compete against former Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship. Blankenship connected on 86.49% (32-37) of his field goals last season.

While at Florida Pinero connected on 29 of his last 30 field goal attempts between the end of the 2016 season and the entire 2017 campaign. Pineiro finished his career with an 88.4% (38-for-43) field goal conversion rate, which ranks first in UF history (min. 35 attempts) as he passed Bobby Raymond (87.8%, 43-of-49, 1983-84). His 38 made field goals place him seventh all-time in Florida history.