Piñeiro finished the year 32-of-34 on field goal attempts, a 94.1 percentage that’s the second-best in a single season among Panthers’ kickers with at least 30 attempts. The mark is just behind Graham Gano’s 96.7 percent in 2017, when Gano went 29-of-30.
Piñeiro’s 32 total made field goals this year rank second in Panthers’ history for a single season, behind 37 from John Kasay in 1996.
Piñeiro wasn’t Carolina’s initial plan at kicker. He came in just before the season after Zane Gonzalez suffered a season-ending groin injury in the Panthers’ preseason finale.
“Eddy stepped in and really filled the shoes to the best of his ability, but in his own way,” Hekker said. “He’s worked really hard. He’s had an incredible season. It kind of sucks that he hasn’t gotten more recognition for the stuff he’s done. … I know that he’s worked so hard, and he cares a lot about what he does.”
Piñeiro was generally steady before that pivotal Week 8 loss to the Falcons, heading into that game 12-of-12 on extra points and 14-of-15 on field goal attempts before the two misses.
He went on to make 19 straight, hear his name chanted at Bank of America Stadium in the Panthers’ Week 10 redemption win over Atlanta, earn NFC special teams player of the week honors after a win in Seattle, and feel what it’s like to have his teammates chant his name in the visitors’ locker room after beating New Orleans.
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