On Tuesday, the Giants announced they were parting ways with Younghoe Koo, marking yet another spin on the special teams merry-go-round for Big Blue. If you’re keeping score at home, that’s Graham Gano, Jude McAtamney, and now Koo all taking their turns this season. At this rate, don’t be surprised if they hold open tryouts in the MetLife Stadium parking lot next Sunday.
The Short, Bittersweet Era Of Younghoe Koo
Let’s be honest: the life of an NFL kicker is brutal. You’re the hero until you’re the goat, and unfortunately for Koo, his brief tenure in New York leaned a little too heavily toward the latter.
Koo was brought in to stop the bleeding, but he couldn’t quite cauterize the wound. His stat line with the Giants wasn’t a total disaster on paper—he went 11-for-12 on extra points and nailed four field goals. But the NFL is a “what have you done for me lately” league, and “lately” involved missing two kicks from 50-plus yards on Sunday.
While going 4-for-6 on field goals isn’t statistically horrific, it wasn’t enough to convince the Giants‘ brass that Koo was the long-term answer. When you can’t convert from deep, you become a liability in a league where field position is everything. It is a harsh reality, but it is the second time this season Koo has faced the axe, having already been released by the Falcons after Week 2.
Who Steps Up Next?
So, who is the Giants’ new kicker? That’s the million-dollar question—or perhaps the league-minimum question.
As of right now, the Giants haven’t named a successor. The injury bug that bit Gano earlier this year started this domino effect, and the team hasn’t found stable footing since. With three games left in what has been a forgettable season, New York has a small window to bring in another leg for a live-action audition.
Whether they elevate someone from the practice squad or scour the waiver wire for another veteran looking for a shot, one thing is certain: the pressure will be on. For the Giants, these last few games are about evaluation. They need to know if they have a reliable option for 2025, or if the kicker position will remain a question mark heading into the offseason.
