Undrafted Japanese Kicker Signs with Raiders; ‘My Appeal Is My Accuracy’

By Yu Hirasawa / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

16:46 JST, April 26, 2026

PITTSBURGH — Japanese kicker and graduate from the University of Hawaii Kansei Matsuzawa signed with the Las Vegas Raiders as an undrafted free agent on Saturday.

“I’m so happy, but at the same time I feel I need to focus,” Matsuzawa said after signing his contract. “I’m just standing at the starting line.”

Although he was not picked during the 2026 NFL draft, the 27-year-old Chiba Prefecture native is aiming to make the team’s roster by the start of the regular season, after completing the team’s training camps and other activities.

“My appeal is my accuracy,” Matsuzawa said. “I want to focus on making each and every field goal, treating each one as important.”

If he makes the roster, Matsuzawa will be the first Japanese player in the NFL, one of the four major North American pro sports leagues alongside MLB, the NBA and the NHL. Japanese players have played in all three of the other leagues.

Matsuzawa played soccer at Makuhari Sogo High School in Chiba City. However, after watching an NFL game live in the United States, which happened to be a Raiders game, he started to dream of becoming a kicker.

“[The Raiders] were the first team I watched, so I have special feelings for them,” Matsuzwa said. “I’m so happy.”

After attending Hocking College in Ohio, Matsuzawa started playing for the University of Hawaii in 2023, earning a reputation for kicking accurate field goals. He was selected for the Class of 2026 in the NFL International Player Pathway program, which aims to identify international football talent.

In January, Matsuzawa played in The American Bowl All-Star Game for college players.