Recently acquired kicker Ramiz Ahmed of the Birmingham Stallions was 4-for-4 on field goals, including the game winner from 46 yards out against D.C. as time expired. (UFL Photo)
On April 16, 2024, with an injury to placekicker Chris Blewitt, Ramiz Ahmed signed with the Birmingham Stallions.
Less than a week after joining the team, Birmingham Stallions kicker Ramiz Ahmed started the game, made three successful field goals, and then displayed unwavering nerves to kick a game-winning, 46-yard field goal in the Stallions’ 20-18 victory over the D.C. Defenders. His kick kept the Stallions undefeated at 4-0.
Mental toughness is part of any pro athlete’s career, but for Ahmed to show up and put in such a solid performance with less than a week’s preparation is quite remarkable. However, Ahmed maintains that it is just part of the job.
“It’s something that you just have to be ready for if you want to do this at the highest level,” Ahmed explained. “You just have to be ready for any situation that’s thrown in front of you.”
Ramiz Ahmed has been through an interesting journey to get to this point in his career. A Las Vegas native, Ahmed attended Faith Lutheran High School, where he played on the varsity soccer team as a freshman. In his second year of high school, he transferred to Bishop Gorman High School, where he joined the football team as a kicker. After high school, Ahmed first attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, before transferring to Arizona State University. It wasn’t until he transferred to the University of Nevada, Reno, where he impressed coaches and made the Wolf Pack football team as a walk-on. In his senior season with the Wolfpack, Ahmed made 15 of 20 field goals and 40 of 44 PATs.
On April 17, 2020, Ahmed signed with the Chicago Bears, but he was waived when the Bears opted to go with kicker Eddy Piñeiro. On March 10, 2022, Ahmed was drafted by the USFL Pittsburgh Maulers in the seventh round of the 2022 supplemental draft.
In the 2022 USFL season, Ahmed made 14 field goals on 22 attempts and racked up a 70% record on PAT attempts. However, in week eight of the season, Ahmed turned heads when he kicked a 61-yard field goal against the New Jersey Generals, setting a record as the longest field goal in USFL history.
His performance in the USFL led to Ahmed signing with the Green Bay Packers on August 14, 2022. Regrettably, the Packers waived him at the end of the 2022 NFL pre-season and transferred him to their practice squad. On November 12, 2022, the Packers elevated Ahmed to the active roster for a game against the Dallas Cowboys, during which he kicked off six times, including three touchbacks. Afterward, the Packers reverted Ahmed back to the practice squad. On December 31, 2022, the Packers again elevated Ahmed to the active roster, but he suffered a groin injury while warming up for a game against the Minnesota Vikings. He rejoined the team’s practice squad, with his contract set to expire on January 16, 2023.
For Ahmed, the injury came at the worst time. However, he relied on his inner strength to move past the setback and focus on next steps.
“I don’t think that it’s good to dwell on things. I feel like it’s best to focus on the next steps. All you can do is put your best foot forward,” Ahmed said. “I’ve seen it happen before in people’s careers. They get injured, and what they do is work on getting healthy. So, I felt like that was the only option.”
That is what Ahmed did. He focused on healing and making sure he was ready for the next pro football opportunity.
When the Birmingham Stallions recently asked Ahmed to come in as a replacement for placekicker Chris Blewitt, they said it was for one week. However, the confirmation of the extent of Blewitt’s injury has now extended the Stallions’ need for Ahmed. The change of plans has not affected Ahmed in the least, as he was ready.
“When they called me, they said, ‘Hey, we’ve got you guaranteed for a week.’ So, I packed a bag for the rest of the season,” Ahmed said. “It’s something that you have to be prepared for, as you never know what’s going to happen in the kicking game or in football in general.”
The Birmingham Stallions next game is at 7:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 27, 2024, at Rice Stadium in Houston, TX. The game will air on FOX (check your local listings) or consult these streaming options. Good tickets are available at Ticketmaster and Stubhub.
