The New York Giants have made a big change at quarterback in the wake of their 22-9 defeat at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football, as they have benched Russell Wilson in favor of first-round rookie Jaxson Dart ahead of their Week 4 action. However, that may not be the only move the team has to make for the upcoming week.
During their clash with the Chiefs, the Giants found themselves in a tough position, as kicker Graham Gano was dealing with a hip injury that forced punter Jamie Gillan to take a field goal attempt at one point in the action. While Gano did eventually kick a short field goal later in the game, New York signed former Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo to their practice squad in the event Gano can’t go on Sunday.
Giants Sign Kicker Younghoe Koo to Their Practice Squad
Gano has been in the NFL since 2009, spending his career with the Washington Commanders, Carolina Panthers, and the Giants. Gano has been the Giants’ kicker since 2020, and while he’s been solid when he’s been healthy, he has had his fair share of injury issues, as he missed significant amounts of time in both 2023 and 2024.
That led New York to Koo, a former Pro Bowl kicker who lost his job to John Parker Romo after missing a potential game-tying field goal in the Falcons’ season-opening loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. For a point in time, Koo was one of the most consistent kickers in the league, but he struggled in 2024 before losing his job early in the new season.
For the time being, Gano’s Week 4 status is murky, so in the event he can’t go, the team opted to bring Koo to town as a layer of insurance. While they only signed him to the practice squad, the Giants can elevate Koo to the active roster for their upcoming game if they know that Gano won’t be able to play due to his aforementioned hip injury.
“In other Giants news: The team is signing former Falcons K Younghoe Koo to their practice squad, per me and Mike Garafolo,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported in a post on X. “Graham Gano was kicking in pain on Sunday night, dealing with a hip injury. Now, Koo to the practice squad.”
Giants Still Looking for First Win in 2025 Campaign
GettyNew York Giants head coach Brian Daboll.
While New York torched the Dallas Cowboys’ defense in Week 2, they have looked awful in their losses to the Washington Commanders and the Chiefs. That prompted the team to insert Dart into the starting lineup, with the hope being that he can lead the offense to more success than Wilson was able to during his brief stint as the team’s starter.
The problem is that the Giants have another difficult game on their schedule in Week 4, as they will be taking on the undefeated Los Angeles Chargers when they return to action. New York will need Dart to play at the high level he showcased during the preseason, or else this could be another long game for the Giants. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, and New York will do everything in its power to avoid losing its fourth straight game when it takes the field.
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