Graham Gano just became a much more popular guy in New York after Week 7.
The New York Giants kicker has been sidelined with a groin issue for weeks now, and in his absence the team made the odd decision to roll with the inexperienced Jude McAtamney over veteran Younghoe Koo.
That move backfired spectacularly in Week 7, as McAtamney missed a pair of extra points that proved to be crucial in a 33-32 loss. Of course, it never should have come down to that with the Giants staked to a three-score lead on multiple occasions, but that doesn't erase how large those misses loomed.
Luckily, the Giants look set to welcome Gano back this week. Head coach Brian Daboll announced that Gano will be designated to return from injured reserve this week and the hope is he'll play in Week 8 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
"Brian Daboll says the Giants are opening Graham Gano’s window to be possibly activated from IR, and Gano will be the Giants’ kicker on Sunday vs the Eagles IF he’s healthy enough to be activated. Daboll did not sound keen to the idea of needing to activate Younghoe Koo as a 2nd kicker on gameday if Gano is healthy enough to play. But we asked. He said we’ll see where we are Friday afternoon," Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reported.
The Giants have since parted ways with McAtamney, so he's thankfully no longer an option, although he could be brought back on the practice squad.
That means if Gano doesn't end up playing, the Giants will probably turn to Koo for this coming week.
Gano has typically been a reliable kicker for the Giants when he's on the field, but availability has been an issue for him in recent years. He missed nine games in 2023, seven games in 2024 and has already missed four in 2025.
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