Succop Says 2019 Struggles Made Him Stronger
Ryan Succop clearly believes adversity sometimes comes for a reason.
The former Tennessee Titans kicker stared down plenty of life’s challenges last season (2019). One of the most efficient kickers in franchise history had a tumultuous final season with Tennessee.
A knee injury that required surgery resulted in Succop moving on and off the injured reserve list. And even when he did hit the field, he never appeared to be quite right. He played in six games and made one of his six field goal tries. The Titans cut him in March 2020.
“It was not at all what you want as an athlete and as a competitor. But I think about that time in my life, and it has grown me a ton as a person,” Succop said on Tuesday. “I think it has grown me a ton as a person, in my faith and as a man. I think adversity does that to us. God sometimes puts adversity in our lives because he wants us to grow, and he wants to mold us.
"That’s something I really learned through that time last year. Certainly, whether I was on IR or not being able to play, you want to be out there with your teammates and help the team win. When you’re not able to do that, it’s really difficult.”
A year removed from the most frustrating season of his 12-year career, things will come full circle for Succop in his grandest opportunity yet. Now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker, Succop will face the team he spent his first five NFL seasons with -- the Kansas City Chiefs -- in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay’s home field.
While the stakes will be much higher in this one with the Lombardi Trophy on the line, it is not Succop’s first opportunity to make big-time kicks against the team that selected him with the last pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He converted on plenty of those opportunities with the Titans.
Succop played his first game with the Titans against the Chiefs in Week 1 of the 2014 season. In the Titans’ 26-10 victory, Succop accounted for 14 points. He made both of his extra-point attempts and all four of his field goal tries from 36, 31, 46 and 47 yards, respectively. That total tied for the second most field goals he made in a game as a Titans. His game-high with the Titans was five and his career-high is six (with the Chiefs in 2012).
One of Succop’s career highlights with the Titans came against his former team in Week 15 of the 2016 season. Succop made both of his field goals at Arrowhead Stadium that afternoon, and the latter was the game-winner as time expired. The 53-yard kick sailed through the uprights at time expired, stunning the crowd and extending the Titans’ winning streak to three games to keep postseason hopes alive.
The Titans reached the playoffs for the first time since 2008 in 2017 as a wild card team with a 9-7 record. They traveled to Kanas City in the first round of the playoffs and advanced after a dramatic, 22-21 victory, also at Arrowhead Stadium. Succop attempted at made one field goal that evening -- a 47-yard field goal in the second quarter. It was the start of the Titans’ 19-3 scoring run that propelled them to victory. He made both of extra-point attempts that day too.
Succop, who led the Titans in career field goal percentage prior to last season, has returned to his efficient form this season with Tampa Bay. He made 28 of his 31 field goals (90.3 percent), tied for ninth overall among all kickers.
In two postseason games, Succop has made all eight of his field goals and eight of his nine PATs. None of his kicks were bigger than the one he made late in the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. His lone field try -- a 47-yarder -- extended Tampa Bay’s lead to 31-23 with just over four minutes to play.
For his career, Succop is 10th all-time among active players with 264 field goals made and ninth with 1,182 total points. He made 117 of those field goals in 140 tries with the Titans over six seasons.
On the biggest stage of them all, at Tampa Bay’s home stadium, no less, he will have a chance to cap off his bounce-back season on top. He surely has not forgotten about what it has taken to get here.
“When I ended the season on IR and was away from the game for a little bit in February and March, that time, it makes you realize how much you love the game. And how much you miss playing the game,” Succop said. “For me, to be able to come back and the way the lord has blessed this season, it’s probably one of the best seasons I have ever had. It’s been really gratifying.”
