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Jordan Raanan
The New York Giants have a new kicker. And it’s not the veteran Younghoe Koo who they signed earlier this week to the practice squad.
Jude McAtamney will kick for the Giants on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. He was elevated from the practice squad Saturday after beating out Koo in a kicking competition this week.
Veteran kicker Graham Gano lands on injured reserve with a groin injury suffered in pregame warmups last week.
The Giants (0-3) were without a placekicker for most of last Sunday’s 22-9 loss to the Chiefs after Gano got hurt moments before the game. Punter Jamie Gillan missed an extra point in the first half before Gano made a short field goal through pain late in the contest.
Gano, 38, is on injured reserve for the third straight season.
Koo was signed to the practice squad earlier this week after being released by the Atlanta Falcons. The 31-year-old made a Pro Bowl in 2020.
But he struggled recently with the Falcons and that seemed to spill over to this week with the Giants. So instead, the Giants chose McAtamney after saying throughout the week the two were in an open competition.
McAtamney, who played collegiately at Rutgers, was an International Pathway Player with the Giants as a native of Northern Ireland. He appeared in one game last season, making a 31-yard field goal and extra point.
Other moves from the Giants on Saturday: Linebacker Neville Hewitt was elevated from the practice squad. Defensive lineman Elijah Garcia and outside linebacker Tomon Fox were signed to the active roster.