CLEVELAND (Cleveland Jewish News via JTA) — The Cleveland Browns have signed kicker Greg Joseph, who played football and soccer at the Donna Klein Jewish Academy in Boca Raton, Florida.
Joseph, a 24-year-old rookie, was cut by the Miami Dolphins this summer after signing with the club as an undrafted free agent out of Florida Atlantic University. Fellow rookie Jason Sanders, a seventh-round draft pick. beat out Joseph for the job, though the latter made all three field goal attempts in the preseason games, including a 54-yarder.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was the first to report Joseph was signing with the Browns.
The Browns signed Joseph after Zane Gonzalez missed four kicks in Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints — two field goals and two extra point attempts, all in the second half, including a potential game-tying field goal of 52 yards.
“Obviously, we have to find someone that can put the ball through the uprights,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said after Joseph signed. “We have had this situation happen now for a couple of weeks. We have to keep searching and keep looking.”
Joseph won’t have much time to become acquainted with his new teammates, as Cleveland hosts the New York Jets on Thursday.
He left FAU as its all-time field goal leader and shares the school record for most extra points. Along with playing at Donna Klein Jewish Academy, Joseph also kicked at the American Heritage School in Delray Beach, Florida.
The Boca Raton native has been praised for his off-the-field charity word, and Joseph has credited his mother, a teacher and head of the math department at a Jewish day school, for teaching him the values of giving back to the community.
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