Giants Kicker Graham Gano Expected to Miss a Few Weeks with Hamstring Injury

The Giants will be working out kickers this week and will also consider Jude McAtamney as an option.

New York Giants place kicker Graham Gano. / Kevin R. Wexler - The Record / USA TODAY NETWORK

New York Giants place kicker Graham Gano, who suffered a hamstring injury on the first play of Sunday’s loss to the Washington Commanders, is likely to be sidelined “a few weeks,” according to head coach Brian Daboll, who spoke to reporters on Monday. 

Daboll confirmed that the Giants will be in search of a new kicker and revealed that the team is holding a workout this week to see if they can find another option. The team also has undrafted rookie Jude McAtamney, who is on the practice squad under a roster exemption due to his coming from the International Pathway Program, as an option. Daboll said a decision would be made based on the workout.

McAtamney played two years of college ball at Rutgers. Last season, he was used almost exclusively on kickoffs, and the year before, he converted 12 of 18 field goals.

Gano entered Sunday’s game with a groin issue that had popped up on Saturday. Despite that, he did not receive an injury designation, and Daboll said that he felt Gano would be good to kick in the game.

However, Gano ended up pulling a hamstring on the opening kickoff when he tried to chase down Austin Ekeler on a 98-yard return for a touchdown that was nullified due to a penalty.

The Giants turned to punter Jamie Gillan to handle the placekicking duties but Gillan's first attempt at an extra point went wide right, which prompted Daboll to eschew any further place kicking attempts in the game.

According to Spotrac, there are currently three veteran free-agent kickers available: Randy Bullock, who had a stint with the Giants last year; Brandon McManus, who was with the Giants in 2014 before being traded to Denver after training camp concluded; and Riley Patterson, a journeyman kicker who started with the Vikings in 2021 and has also had stints with the Patriots, Lions, Jaguars, Browns, and Commanders.

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