A lot has been said about Florida State’s 2-10 season in 2024 and how they fell from grace after a monstrous 2023 undefeated regular season campaign and an ACC Championship Trophy to add to the 15 already locked tightly away inside Doak Campbell Stadium. One thing that isn’t talked about enough is the two All-Americans on special teams who gave the ‘Noles their all at a fighting chance.
Kicker Ryan Fitzgerald and punter Alex Mastromanno clawed their way into the FSU history books and received their honor on March 22 when their names were forever cemented in program lore outside of the Moore Athletic Center, next to a practice field where they perfected their craft.
Forever etched in history #NoleFamily pic.twitter.com/gCHV78cegc
— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) March 22, 2025
Earning your name next to FSU legend Bobby Bowden’s statue is not something to take lightly. This is not to mention all the college greats who have gone through the program and gone on to have illustrious careers in their respective sports.
Most recently, New York Jets defensive end Jermaine Johnson II had his brick-laying ceremony in 2023 while Jared Verse, Jammie Robinson, and James Rosenberry were honored last year but the list has a deep and rich history spanning over the last half-century. Fred Biletnikoff, Dalvin Cook, Deion Sanders, Jalen Ramsey, Jameis Winston, Charlie Ward, Ron Sellers, Sebastian Janikowski, Peter Warrick, and Derrick Brooks are just a few of the greats listed on the sidewalks that fans take pictures next to that adorn the sidewalks of the Moore Athletic Center.
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Fitzgerald finished 2024 with a perfect 13 out of 13 field goal attempts and broke multiple records during the five years he donned garnet and gold. He holds multiple school records, ranking No. 3 in 60-plus-yard field goal attempts, No. 4 in PATs (178), No. 5 in points scored (352), and No. 7 in made field goals (58). During his last season with the team, he was also a Lou Groza finalist.
Mastromanno, a Ray Guy finalist for the second consecutive season, was Florida State’s primary punter his entire career and led the nation with 30 punts of over 50 yards in 2024 while setting the ACC single-season record and leading the country with a 49.3-yard punting average. He was also an NCAA Consensus All-American, first-team All-ACC punter, and second-team All-ACC specialist. He also earned first-team All-American honors from the FWAA, AFCA, Associated Press, and Walter Camp, and was named a second-team All-American by Sporting News that same year.
In a season that will be remembered more for its disappointments than its triumphs, it is important not to overlook the championship caliber that Fitzgerald and Mastromanno brought to the team. They may not have hoisted another trophy in 2024, but their consistency and clutch performances will now always be found by fans finding their Seminole favorites, admiring Florida State’s athletic history.
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