The former University of Georgia standout made his NFL debut at the start of the 2020 season and went on to break the Colts franchise record for most points scored by a rookie and was the NFL's leading scorer through Week 5 of the regular season.
With an underdog mentality, the Georgia native went from a walk-on to a collegiate icon to the most loveable kicker in the NFL due to his talent, distinct look, and unique, unapologetic personality. Rod, the 2019 Lou Groza Award winner, is known to fans as Mr. Rec Specs, Hot Rod and the social media hashtag #RespectTheSpecs, all of which refer to his most distinctive feature of thick, black sports glasses on the field.
From Soccer in Brazil to Collegiate Walk-On…
Growing up, Rodrigo mostly played soccer. He was a talented player and often traveled to his mother’s hometown in Brazil to train with some of the best youth soccer players in the world.
Rodrigo was in fourth grade when he tried his first field goal and eventually became a dual-sport athlete. Throughout his three years at Sprayberry High School, Rod doubled as a soccer star and the kicker on the football team.
His talent and potential on the football field was undeniable and, coming out of high school, Rodrigo made the decision to solely pursue football. However, he only had scholarship offers from a few mid-majors. Ultimately, the University of Georgia gave him the chance to walk on and he decided to take it, fully believing in his ability to win the starting job.
Rod eventually won the No. 1 kicker role during his redshirt-freshman season and was named a Freshman All-American. After the start of the 2017 season, Rod was awarded a scholarship.
#RespectThe
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The Legend of the Specs…
Off the field, Rod has always worn glasses. He began wearing sport glasses in middle school and through high school, but when he got to Georgia, the NCAA rules prohibited metal frames. Georgia gave him several options from which he selected his first pair of Rec Specs.The “Legend of the Specs” began in late 2016 when Rodrigo conducted a post-game interview, after his game winning field goal, still wearing his helmet and thick, black glasses. His unique look and quirky personality captured the hearts of Georgia and college football fans around the nation. Rod instantly became a sensation known as “Mr. Rec Specs”, “Hot Rod” and the social media hashtag he created #RespectTheSpecs quickly grew to new heights of popularity.
Rodrigo’s specs became a staple of his brand and the crowd at Georgia football games would be seen on game days decked out in fake black rimmed glasses and/or wearing t-shirts with the phrase “Respect The Specs”. Rod’s brand drew national recognition from Georgia fans, college football fans and celebrities alike. By embracing his spectacles, Rod has inspired young kids who have been bullied for or self-conscious about their own glasses in sports.
From Collegiate Icon to National Football League…
After two more seasons of prolific field goal kicking at Georgia, Rodrigo was named the 2019 Lou Groza Award winner (an award given to the best college kicker in the nation).
Along the way, he won numerous awards and set a number of records, including being named a 3x All-American, the all-time leading scorer in Georgia football history, second leading scorer in SEC history and setting the record for longest field goal ever in Rose Bowl history (55 yards), among others. He finished his four-year career at the University of Georgia with an SEC title, a Rose Bowl Victory, a perfect 200/200 on his extra point attempts and 80/97 field goal attempts (82.5%).
In April 2020, despite circumstances from COVID-19 and going undrafted, Rodrigo signed with the Indianapolis Colts. He landed in Indianapolis undeterred and in just a few weeks, Rod became just the third fulltime kicker for the Colts since 1998. On September 13, 2020, Rod connected from 38 yards away to cement his first professional field goal.
