The New York Giants enter Week 10 with a problem they did not expect to be in the spotlight this deep into the season, and it goes beyond a simple lineup change. A veteran starter is sidelined again, a replacement is already lined up, and the move reflects more than just an injury update. It mirrors a season already dominated by offensive instability and disturbing off-field pressures.
What Is Forcing a Change at Kicker for the New York Giants?
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reported Friday that “K Graham Gano isn’t practicing Friday. It looks like Younghoe Koo will kick Sunday against the Bears. ‘I would assume it’s going to be Koo,’ coach Brian Daboll said.”
K Graham Gano isn’t practicing Friday. It looks like Younghoe Koo will kick Sunday against the Bears.
“I would assume it’s going to be Koo,” coach Brian Daboll said.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) November 7, 2025
The decision comes as Gano deals with a herniated disc pressing against his spinal cord, a significant injury that required a spinal injection this week.
This is the latest in a string of setbacks for the 38-year-old, who has now missed time in three straight seasons and is one game away from his 21st absence since 2022. The Giants had hoped Gano would provide the only consistency they could count on this year, but even that safety net is now gone.
However, the situation is heavier than just his health. Gano revealed he has been receiving death threats from fans tied to missed kicks and sports betting outcomes. He stated, “ever since sports betting started happening, I get people telling me to kill myself every week… somebody told me to get cancer and die.” Gano also said team and league security have been monitoring these threats for over three years.
How Does This Move Reflect the Team’s Broader Problems?
While Gano has made 9 of 10 field goals this season, the move to Younghoe Koo is less a performance-based decision than a forced adjustment. This disruption arrives at a time when the Giants can least afford any more offensive turmoil. The team’s struggles go far beyond the kicking game.
According to the PFSN Offense Impact metric, New York enters Week 10 with a 2-7 record and an Offense Impact Score of 69.1. That ranks 25th in the league and earns the team a D+ grade overall, placing it 25th in the season ranking and 640th overall.
That context matters. The Giants are not just struggling to score points, they are struggling to function as a unit. A kicker change does not fix an offense that already ranks near the bottom of the league, but it does reinforce the primary theme of their season: nothing is stable, not even the most reliable positions.
The roster move may seem minor, but it reflects a larger truth about the team’s current state. When a franchise with a D+ offensive grade is forced into midseason patchwork at kicker, it signals a team that is not just battling injuries, but also its own identity. In a season already defined by damage control, this is simply the latest example of things going wrong for the Giants.