New York Jets’ Greg Zuerlein owes his success as an established athlete to all the contributions of his parents, Eileen and Gene Zuerlein.
Greg’s dedication and passion for the game, along with the support of his parents, have helped him reach great heights in the world of sports.
Let’s take a look at Eileen and Gene Zuerlein’s integral role in Greg Zuerlein‘s journey to success.
Greg Zuerlein, a.k.a. “Greg the Leg,” is an American Footballer who plays placekicking for the New York Jets in the NFL.
Zuerlein was born on December 27, 1987, in Lincoln, Nebraska. During his junior year, the 2006 Lincoln Pius X graduate set a Nebraska state record for field goals in a season.
His collegiate career began with a football scholarship from the University of Nebraska-Omaha and continued at Missouri Western.
The St. Louis Rams drafted Zuerlein in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft with a 171st overall pick.
Zuerlein’s best year came in 2017 with the Rams, which has seen him named First-team All-Pro and the Pro Bowl. He was even the NFL scoring leader with 158 points and 11.3 points per game.
Moreover, Zuerlein signed with the New York Jets in 2022 after his two-year stint with the Dallas Cowboys.
Meet Greg Zuerlein Parents: Eileen And Gene Zuerlein
The Nebraska native was born to his parents, Eileen and Gene Zuerlein. He grew up in a close-knit family that prioritized values, hard work, and encouragement.
Although Zuerlein has a legendary NFL status today, his parents were not talented athletes.
In fact, his mother, Eileen, worked as an accountant. In an interview, she joked that she was always the last person to be chosen for teams.
Well, this could be one main reason that Zuerlein did not follow the trendy path of kicking. Unlike other teenagers, he never went to any special kicking camps before joining the college.
Until his sophomore year, Zuerlein himself was unaware that he could kick pretty. In fact, he was actually going to quit after freshman year to focus on soccer.
Occasionally, his father, Gene, shares his memories of his son’s games with the media. As per him, the placekicker possesses the ability to block everything out between him and the goalposts.
Zuerlein’s parents have always become his pillars of strength. Having them by his side during challenging times has helped him overcome numerous inevitable hurdles in his professional career.
Greg Zuerlein Wife And Kids
The NFL placekicker is married to his high school sweetheart, Megan Zuerlein (nee Kreifels), since 2013.
Megan was born to Terry and Barbara Kreifels in 1989 and grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The Pius X High School graduate attended Hastings College, where she played as a goalie for the girls’ soccer team.
Her noticeable achievement came after she was named Lincoln Journal Star Athlete of the Year in 2011.
Furthermore, she is also a registered nurse who earned a nursing degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.
Megan is a mother to five children, daughters Emma and Morgan and sons Greg Jr., Samuel, and Nicholas.
After they tied the knot on April 27, 2013, their first child, Emma, was born in 2014. The couple then welcomed their second child, Morgan, on June 14, 2015.
Likewise, their sons Greg Jr., Samuel, and Nicholas were born in August 2016, November 2018, and August 2020, respectively.
