Cairo Santos, Brazilian kickers, and the NFL’s growing connection with Brazil

Cairo Santos has played for multiple NFL teams during his 10+ years in the league.

After going undrafted out of Tulane University, he began his NFL career and played for the Chicago Bears, New York Jets, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Tennessee Titans between 2017 and 2019. He settled in with the Bears in 2020, signing a long-term contract that keeps him in Chicago at least until 2027.

In 2025, behind Caleb Williams, Chicago’s offense showed inconsistencies at times, but Santos supplied key stability in high-leverage situations, often delivering in close games. His poise in decisive situations was visible in a narrow Divisional Playoff victory this weekend, as the Bears depended on four field goals from him against Green Bay’s defense.

Born in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, Santos enters his sixth season in Chicago, under contract through 2027.

Santos first discovered American football at age 15 after moving to St. Augustine, Florida. He initially planned to spend one year at St. Joseph Academy to learn English, but soon realized that his years of soccer in Brazil gave him a kicking technique well-suited for field goals. This discovery redirected his athletic path and led to his development as a football kicker. The question that remains is whether other athletes will see inspiration in Santos' story of success in Football.

Is Lucas Carneiro the next big kicker with Brazilian roots?

Exchange programs and immigration, alongside athletes' trend towards pure specialization, have created opportunities for more future hybrid Brazilian talents like Santos once was.

The most intriguing name to watch is Lucas Carneiro, Ole Miss kicker, who impressed in 2025 even after a tough Fiesta Bowl loss. This season, Carneiro made 31 of 35 field goals, including nine from 50 yards or more. To be fair, Lucas was born in the United States, while his dad is from Brazil. Yet both Santos and Carneiro followed similar paths early in their careers, learning to play American football, rooted in their own passion for and proficiency in the Beautiful Game.

In the Sugar Bowl, Carneiro made 55- and 56-yard field goals, helping to Ole Miss’ improbable win over Georgia. This performance elevated his profile and earned him credit as a Lou Groza Award semifinalist - the highest honor a College kicker can obtain.

Carneiro is still a raw talent, though. And with NIL deals now available for student-athletes, he is expected to return to Ole Miss and lead kickers in the 2027 Draft. Internally, he’s seen as a top NFL prospect, with range and mechanics suited to the league’s focus on special teams.

NFL in Brazil: a wider perspective

Santos’s success in Chicago and Carneiro’s rise strengthen the NFL’s ambitions in Brazil. After successful regular-season games in São Paulo in 2024 and 2025, the league will hold more games in South America, with Maracanã Stadium as the main stage.

Trying different sports isn’t new. In 1994, U.S. soccer goalkeeper Tony Meola briefly played as a Jets kicker, planting a seed that would grow years later.

Thirty years later, paths are clearer, prep is more specialized, and the league seeks global relevance, including in Brazil. Santos is part of a growing, structured trend in the NFL ecosystem. Carneiro is the future.

It's worth watching to see if Brazilian players like Carneiro and Santos can help the league attract new fans and build a closer bond that goes beyond a single game or highlight. The success of soccer-trained athletes in kicking also shows how skills from Brazil’s main sport transfer quite well to American football, something National Football League fans are beginning to understand.