Cairo Santos

Early life

Born in Limeira, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, , and raised in Brasilia, the capital, since 4 years old, where his father worked as a pilot for Varig. Santos was unfamiliar with American football until he moved to St. Augustine, Florida, as a foreign exchange student. Originally, Santos planned to stay at St. Joseph's Academy for one year to learn English, but soon found that the kicking skills he had developed playing soccer in Brazil translated well to field goal kicking in American football. With the opportunity to earn a college scholarship, Santos remained in Florida, sharpening his kicking skills through high school.

College career

Santos committed to Tulane on 22 January 2010. Santos also received interest from Georgia Tech, Jacksonville, and Miami (OH). Santos played in all 12 games his freshman year and was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team and was honorable-mention All C-USA after leading the Green Wave in points scored while making 13 of his 16 field goal attempts, 32 of his 33 PATs, and handling kick off duties. In his sophomore season, Santos played in all 13 games and finished second on the team in scoring making 11/18 field goals and 33/34 PATs while handling kickoffs and punting duties averaging 41 yards a punt.

The 2012 was a breakout season for Santos as he went 26 of 27 on PATs (his only miss was blocked) and a perfect 21 of 21 on field goals, including a school record 57-yard field goal. He became only the second kicker to make at least 20 in a season without a miss. 12 of those field goals were from 40-plus yards and 2 from 50-plus and 31 of his 55 kickoffs went for touchbacks. At the end of the season, Santos was named consensus All-American and received the Lou Groza Award for the nation's most outstanding placekicker.

2014 season: rookie season

Santos was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Kansas City Chiefs on 19 May 2014. He was named the Chiefs kicker on 30 August 2014, beating veteran Ryan Succop for the position. On 7 September 2014, he became the first Brazilian born player ever to play in a NFL regular season game in a 26–10 loss to the Tennessee Titans (which was also the team of the kicker Santos replaced), also kicking his first career field goal. After missing two field goals in his first two games, he made his next 13 field goal attempts, including a clutch game-winning field goal with 26 seconds left in a Week 7 win over the San Diego Chargers and a 53-yard field goal the following week against the St. Louis Rams.

Santos was the team season scoring leader (113 points), ahead of running back Jamaal Charles (84 points).

2015 season: Playoffs appearance

In a 21–36 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on 4 October 2015 (Week 4), Santos kicked a team record seven field goals, including two over 50 yards. His seven field goals in the game is the second most all-time in a single game, which he shares with five other players. The points scored by Santos in the game were the only points scored by the Chiefs during the game.

In Week 10, Santos made five field goals of six attempts against the Denver Broncos, the second game in the season with at least five field goals made (franchise record, tied with Jan Stenerud).

In Week 15, Santos kicked a 53-yard field goal against the Baltimore Ravens. This was the fourth field goal with at least 50 yards in the season (franchise record, tied with Nick Lowery).

Santos was the team season scoring leader and sixth in NFL season. He also was the fifth (tied) kicker with most field goals made in NFL season.

In a 30–0 victory against the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card game, Cairo Santos became the first Brazilian player to play in Playoffs game. He made all three field goal and three extra point attempts. He kicked two 49-yard field goal, the longest field goals in the Chiefs postseason history.

In his second game in postseason, Santos made two field goals in a 20–27 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Playoffs game.

2016 season: Player of the Month

In Week 2, Santos kicked a 54-yard field goal in a 12–19 loss to the Houston Texans, the longest field goal of his professional career.

Santos kicked his fourth field goal in the game, a 37-yard field goal as time expired, and the Chiefs overcame a 17-point deficit to top the Carolina Panthers 20–17 in Week 10.

Santos made two field goals in the 30–27 overtime victory against Denver Broncos including a game-winning 34-yard field goal attempt that bounced off the left upright with five seconds left in overtime in Week 12.

In November, Cairo Santos was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for the first time in his career after converting 11 of 11 field goals and all five extra points.

Santos was the team season scoring leader and sixth in NFL season. He also was the seventh (tied) kicker with most field goals made in NFL season.

NFL

Kansas City Chiefs

College

Personal life

On 15 September 2013, Santos' father died in a plane crash in Brazil. "I used to talk to my dad everyday, all the time. We were very close. He was my biggest fan, very supportive of my career, always wishing me to do well, no matter what. He will always be there for me. I know. After each successful kick or game I always think about him. I point my fingers to the sky in honor of him."

In the 2016 "My Cause My Cleats" NFL campaign, Santos honored Chapecoense team, a Brazilian association football club, due to the aircraft crash that occurred with the delegation of the club killing 71 people in Colombia on November 28, 2016.