Kicker Kansei Matsuzawa Signs a 3-Year Contract with NFL's Raiders

Kansei Matsuzawa, who made 27 of 29 field-goal attempts in 2025 for the University of Hawaii football team, has signed a three-year contract with the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders.

The University of Hawaii athletics department made an announcement on Saturday, April 25, the same day the 2026 NFL Draft wrapped up.

Nicknamed "The Tokyo Toe," Matsuzawa joins the Raiders as an undrafted free agent. He's seeking to become the first Japanese player to make an NFL team's roster.

Matsuzawa, 27, is scheduled to participate in the Raiders' upcoming offseason workouts.

"I'm so happy, but at the same time I feel I need to focus," Matsuzawa was quoted as saying by The Yomiuri Shimbun on Saturday. He then said, "I'm just standing at the starting line."

Getting to Know Kansei Matsuzawa

Matsuzawa became enamored with American football when he attended an NFL game as a fan in the United States at age 20.

A former high school soccer player at Makuhari Sogo High School in Chiba, he then taught himself to kick field goals, extra points and kickoffs by watching YouTube videos.

His hard work paid off. Matsuzawa's videos of his kicks earned him a chance to compete for Hocking (Ohio) College). He played for the junior college for two years.

Matsuzawa then joined the University of Hawaii football team as a walk-on in 2023. He later received an athletic scholarship.

In two seasons as a Rainbow Warriors kicker, Matsuzawa made 39 of 45 field-goal attempts. He converted 12 of 13 kicks from 40 yards or longer, including a 52-yard field goal.

Matsuzawa was a Lou Groza Award finalist in 2025. The award is presented annually to the top NCAA Division I kicker.

In Pursuit of an NFL Career

Although Matsuzawa wasn't picked by an NFL team during the draft, he was invited to attend the annual extravaganza.

Reflecting on his time in the green room in Pittsburgh, Matsuzawa described the journey of chasing his NFL dream in his 20s as "crazy."

In an interview posted on former University of Hawaii defensive tackles coach Jeff Reinebold's X account (formerly Twitter), Matsuzawa expressed gratitude to his parents for their financial and emotional support as he pursued a pro football career.

Asked about his walk-off, game-winning 52-yard field goal to beat Stanford University in August 2025, Matsuzawa said it was a special moment.

"I just focused on myself and enjoyed the moment," he recalled in the interview, "and knew I was going to kick the game-winning field goal."

He added, "That field goal means a lot to me."

In that season-opening game, Kansei Matsuzawa made five field goals, a perfect day to kick off his senior year.

Now, as he looks forward to competing for a roster spot with the Raiders, Matsuzawa said he'll stay focused on the task at hand.

"My appeal is my accuracy," Matsuzawa said, according to The Yomiuri Shimbun. "I want to focus on making each and every field goal, treating each one as important."