Bruce Gossett

Daniel Bruce Gossett (November 9, 1941 – January 27, 2025) was an American professional football player who served as a placekicker in the National Football League from 1964 to 1974, playing for the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers.

Gossett was born on November 9, 1941, in either Cecil or Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. His father, a professional soccer player in the 1930s and 1940s, taught him how to kick. Gossett attended Cecil Township High School, which later merged into Canon-McMillan High School, where he played fullback on the football team and also competed in basketball and junior league soccer. He did little kicking in high school, attempting no field goals and drop-kicking extra points because no one was available to hold the ball for him.

After graduating, Gossett enrolled at Clarion State Teachers College, now PennWest Clarion, where he was a quarterback and punter. Following one year, he transferred to Ferrum College, then known as Ferrum Junior College, where he played kicker and quarterback.