TAMPA, Fla. — As National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Martin Gramatica is reflecting on the legacy of his playing days and the community connections he continues to build off the field.
Known as “Automatica Gramatica” for his clutch field goals, the Argentine native played a key role in the Buccaneers’ run to their first Super Bowl title in 2003. On a roster stacked with future Hall of Famers, his accurate kicking and fiery celebrations helped cement his place in franchise history.
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“What I remember is just the friendships. The brotherhood we built with teammates, Coach [Tony] Dungy,” Gramatica said in an interview at his Tampa home, where memorabilia fills a room.
Born in Buenos Aires in 1975, Gramatica moved to the United States with his family as a teenager and went on to star at Kansas State University. He won the Lou Groza Award in 1997 as the nation’s top college kicker and was drafted by Tampa Bay in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft. During his seven seasons in the NFL, he played for the Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys. He remains one of the most accurate kickers in Tampa Bay history.
Gramatica said his family’s ties to the Bay area began when his wife attended the University of South Florida, and Tampa quickly became their permanent home.
“I was here the longest on the team. My wife went to USF. We knew Tampa was going to be home,” he said.
As one of the first Hispanic stars on the Buccaneers roster, Gramatica became a role model for Latino fans locally and internationally.
“There's tons of Argentine fans that follow the Buccaneers because I was on the team. To this day, I get messages all the time,” he said.
He continues to connect with Spanish-speaking fans as part of the Buccaneers’ Spanish-language broadcast team.
“To be able to expose the Hispanic people to football in their language for us it’s a great honor. And a great responsibility too, because a lot of the Hispanics are learning as they are watching the game. A lot of us just grew up with soccer, some baseball now,” Gramatica said.
Beyond football, Gramatica has dedicated himself to philanthropy. Through the Gramatica Family Foundation, he and his brothers have built homes for wounded veterans and supported families in need.
“A veteran can say thank you to us, but we are like no, no, no. We are thanking you because you sacrificed so much,” Gramatica said.
That commitment to service helped earn him the title of Tampa Hispanic Heritage Man of the Year.
Family continues to play a central role in his life. Gramatica has three children, all active in sports. His son Nico, a kicker at USF, made headlines for a game-winning field goal against the Florida Gators. Another son, Gaston, is following in his footsteps as a high school kicker, while his daughter, Emmy, plays both soccer and flag football. Gramatica also coaches her.
“We grew up with sports, and we love sports, and that our kids all love and embrace sports. We are proud that they are good kids and sports has kept them out of trouble, so we are just super blessed,” he said.
This year, Gramatica also launched a new venture, ClearView Imaging Center, which provides preventative scans for conditions such as heart disease and cancer.
“Most people don’t know they can do a preventative scan and that’s why I love the technology,” he said.
Gramatica says while his NFL career provided unforgettable moments, seeing his children grow and giving back to the community brings him the greatest joy.
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