Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

Before Super Bowl, Panthers kicker Graham Gano once won title in Las Vegas

Former Las Vegas Locomotives coach Jim Fassel reflects on Gano’s game-winning kick

UFL Championship Game

Justin M. Bowen

The Las Vegas Locomotives hold up kicker Graham Gano after he kicked in the game winning field goal in overtime for their 20-17 win over the Florida Tuskers in the UFL Championship game Friday at Sam Boyd Stadium.

A single kick can win or lose a Super Bowl title.

Adam Vinatieri kickstarted the Patriots’ dynasty with game winning field goals in Super Bowls 36 and 38. In Super Bowl 25, Scott Norwood put his boot into the laces to send the ball wide right, and the Buffalo Bills into futility.

With six of the last eight Super Bowls being decided by a touchdown or less, Sunday’s game between the Broncos and Panthers could come down to a last-minute kick.

If the Panthers are the team attempting it, Las Vegas resident and former NFL coach Jim Fassel is confident they will hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

Fassel coached Carolina kicker Graham Gano when he played for the Las Vegas Locomotives during the inaugural season of the United Football League in 2009.

“I’ve had a number of good kickers, and I would put him right at the top of the list,” Fassel said.

Fassel’s other kicker during his time with the Locomotives was Steven Hauschka, who's now with the Seattle Seahawks.

“The interesting thing is both of them were rejected by the NFL at that time, and they resurrected their careers in the UFL,” Fassel said. “That’s why I think the NFL needs a spring league or a developmental league or something like that.”

Gano scored the first points in UFL history with a 32-yard field goal and set the league record for the longest field goal that season with a 53-yarder.

But his crowning achievement under Fassel came in the championship game when he sent a 33-yard kick sailing through the uprights in overtime to give the Locomotives the title.

“He gained his confidence with us,” Fassel said. “Sometimes players get into the NFL and it’s such a big, fast game. They need a chance to regain their confidence and that’s what the UFL did for both (Gano and Hauschka).”

Click to enlarge photo

Recording artist Snoop Dogg, second from right, poses for pictures with Carolina Panthers' Graham Gano (9), J.J. Jansen (44) and Brad Nortman (8) during a press conference in preparation for the Super Bowl 50 football game Thursday Feb. 4, 2016 in San Jose, Calif.

Fassel said that he knew Gano was talented enough to play in the NFL immediately upon coaching him in Las Vegas.

“He had a very successful college career and won a lot of awards,” Fassel said. “He came in there and the one thing that jumped out at me right away was he was a tremendous athlete.”

Gano played at Florida State from 2005 to 2008, winning the Lou Groza Award for the nation’s top kicker his senior year. He also led the country in field goals made, field goal percentage and field goals converted longer than 50 yards in his final season.

“He really is a guy’s guy,” Fassel said. “In a lot of ways, players and coaches respect guys like that. He had a lot of confidence in himself and he was a great athlete outside of being a kicker so he had everyone’s respect.”

Fassel has countless connections to players, coaches and executives participating in the Super Bowl on Sunday, but says he will ultimately root for the Broncos.

“My heart is with Denver only because I recruited John Elway through high school and then I coached him his entire college career,” Fassel said. “I am very good friends with John so I’d like to see them win.”

Fassel was a positional coach and offensive coordinator during Elway’s years at Stanford, and was also the offensive coordinator in Denver during 1993 – Elway’s most prolific passing season of his pro career.

Fassel is also friends with both Super Bowl coaches – Denver's Gary Kubiak and Carolina's Ron Rivera.

Despite having his allegiance with Elway, Fassel wouldn’t be disappointed to see his old Las Vegas Locomotives kicker excel.

“I’ll always root for the guys that played for me,” Fassel said. “If it means that Graham Gano kicks the game winning field goal then I will be very happy for him and the Panthers.”

As a former NFL coach that has been in a Super Bowl himself, Fassel knows the confidence it instills in a coach having a clutch kicker waiting on the sidelines when the game comes down to the wire.

“It’s tremendous,” Fassel said. “A lot of times you’ve got a guy that is going to win the game or lose the game on one kick. He hasn’t been in the game except a couple times and you call on him in critical situations. You want a guy that can handle all that pressure, and Graham can do that.”

Jesse Granger can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Jesse on Twitter at twitter.com/JesseGranger_.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy