Graham Gano Injury Update
Gano strained his groin warming up before the Giants-Chiefs primetime game, instantly throwing the Giants' kicking situation into chaos. Just like that, he was listed as “questionable,” and you could almost hear the collective sigh from Jersey to Brooklyn. Gano tried gamely to stick with the team—if you've seen the footage, he’s grimacing through what looks like serious discomfort after a fourth-quarter field goal. It’s hard not to respect the grind, even if, as a fan, you usually just want your kicker to be invisible: nails, automatic, no drama.
Instead, punter Jamie Gillan had to step in for extra points. The result? One got blocked, and the Giants’ early scoring rhythm fizzled instantly.
- Gano’s injury history: hamstring, groin, you name it
- Other backup choices? Basically, none—Jude McAtamney is on the practice squad, but wasn’t on the field
This is the same sort of thing that’s haunted the Giants before: last season, Gano’s hamstring went in Week 2, no backup, more missed chances, and more aggravated fans.
What Happened to Graham Gano?
Gano’s injury popped up during warmups, turning him from “starter” to “maybe available,” and finally to “painfully limited” right as kickoff hit. During the national anthem, he limped toward the locker room with a trainer—already a bad sign. On the opening Giants drive, fans saw him trying to boot balls into the net on the sidelines, clearly testing whether he could actually go.
Coach Brian Daboll decided pretty quickly not to risk it. Field goal territory? Fourth-and-three? Nah, let’s go for it instead—maybe Gano’s leg just wasn’t ready, maybe it was pure bravado. Either way, pass knocked down, Chiefs take over, and the Giants play without true kicking for most of the night. Honestly, it’s hard not to worry when your entire kicking game hinges on a guy in his late 30s who’s been playing through aches for years. One Reddit poster summed it up: “Gano is old and isn’t recovering like he did in his 20’s. The fact they don’t have a backup is insane.” Couldn’t say it better.
When Will Graham Gano Return?
Right now, Gano’s status is listed as questionable, and updates are still rolling out after the Chiefs game. The Giants haven’t made formal announcements about longer-term decisions, probably because they’re still waiting for post-game evaluations. Gano did manage (somehow) to come in for a short kick in the fourth, but watching the pain on his face, it was clear this wasn’t a normal night. If he’s out for any span of time, we could see Jamie Gillan (who’s a punter, not a trained kicker) take on more kicking duties, or maybe, finally, the Giants sign or elevate someone just so we’re not all living on the edge week after week.
And maybe—Giants fans will appreciate this—someone with reasonable medical insurance could give Gano a loyalty card. Another kicker injury in a year. That’s almost as predictable as Monday morning quarterbacking about why we didn’t just draft three kickers for luck.
