The New York Giants continue to shuffle their special teams unit as they prepare for a potential boost from veteran kicker Graham Gano. Earlier this season, the Giants were forced to make roster adjustments after placing Gano on injured reserve due to a groin injury suffered during Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
In late September, New York added extra insurance by signing former Falcons Pro Bowler Younghoe Koo while also elevating Jude McAtamney from the practice squad.
Koo, who has a career 87.3 percent field goal conversion rate, immediately stepped in as the starting kicker for the Week 4 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Meanwhile, McAtamney — a 25-year-old from Derry, Northern Ireland — was kept as depth, having hit just one 31-yard field goal in his brief NFL career so far.
Now, as of this week, the Giants have officially released McAtamney, with Gano eligible to return from injured reserve, according to Ari Meirov. “Giants K Graham Gano is eligible to come off IR this week. Former Falcons Pro Bowler Younghoe Koo is also on the practice squad,” Meirov posted on X.
Adam Schefter added more context to McAtamney’s release, noting on X that the rookie kicker became the only player in the last 40 years to miss two extra points — neither of which were blocked — in a game his team lost by just one point. The historically poor performance sealed his fate as the Giants prepare for Gano’s return.
Giants released Jude McAtamney, as @rydunleavy reported. McAtamney became the only kicker in the last 40 years to miss two extra points — neither of which were blocked — in a game his team lost by one point. pic.twitter.com/VhRnPjY6vi
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 21, 2025
Gano’s potential return is a welcome development for New York’s struggling offense, which has desperately needed stability in close games. Before his injury, Gano had been one of the team’s most reliable players since joining in 2020, converting several clutch field goals over his Giants tenure. His recovery has been closely monitored, and the team is expected to make a final decision on his activation later this week.
The Giants’ kicking carousel is just one of several storylines surrounding a franchise that continues to search for consistency. After last week’s stunning fourth-quarter collapse against the Denver Broncos — where New York blew a 19-point lead — questions emerged about accountability within the coaching staff.
Head coach Brian Daboll, however, shut down speculation about major staff shakeups. “We all got to do a better job. Starts with me,” Daboll said, per The Athletic. “There were plenty of opportunities to finish that game the way we wanted to. We didn’t get the job done.”
The Giants will look to rebound this Sunday when they face the Philadelphia Eagles on the road. With Gano possibly back in uniform and the offense trying to correct its late-game woes, New York hopes to stabilize a season that’s quickly slipping away.
