Giants’ Kicking Woes Hit New Low as Younghoe Koo Slips in Costly Mishap
It was a moment that summed up the Giants’ season in one painful, awkward sequence. With a chance to cut into a 10-point deficit on Monday night against the Patriots, veteran kicker Younghoe Koo lined up for a 47-yard field goal. What followed was one of the more bizarre special teams breakdowns we’ve seen in recent memory.
As Koo approached the ball, he abruptly pulled up, planting his foot into the turf instead of driving through the kick. The ball never left the ground.
Holder Jamie Gillan, quick to react, scooped it up and tried to salvage the play with a frantic scramble, but was quickly swallowed up by the Patriots’ special teams unit. The Giants walked away with nothing - and social media, unsurprisingly, had a field day.
At the time of the miscue, the Giants were trailing 17-7, still within striking distance. But that sequence shifted the momentum firmly in New England’s favor, and the Patriots would go on to win 33-15.
After the game, Koo explained what went wrong. According to the 31-year-old kicker, the cold conditions played a role. He believed the ball slipped slightly as Gillan set it, causing it to move just enough to throw off his timing.
"I was approaching the ball and, cold weather, the ball kind of slipped out at the bottom so it was moving," Koo said. "I wasn't able to kick through the ball.
The ball was moving when I was driving to it, so I just pulled up on it. Jamie did a good job of catching it and putting it back but at that point, it was too late."
It’s a tough break for Koo, who has built a reputation as one of the more reliable legs in the league. But in this case, the weather, the timing, and maybe just a bit of bad luck combined for a moment that went instantly viral - and not in the way any kicker wants.
The reactions came quickly. On ESPN’s ManningCast, Peyton Manning was stunned.
“The kicker tripped trying to kick the field goal, he tripped trying to kick the field goal,” he said, clearly shocked. “I have not seen that, ever.”
Eli Manning added a jab of his own, comparing it to one of his own mishits on the golf course: “It’s all grass!”
Troy Aikman, calling the game on the main broadcast, kept it simple: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that!”
Former NFL punter Pat McAfee, now a prominent voice in football media, weighed in as well, calling it “a TOUGH situation” and describing the ball slipping as a kicker’s “NIGHTMARE.”
Even Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart couldn’t hide his frustration. Cameras caught him on the sideline turning away in disbelief, appearing to mutter “oh my god” as the botched kick unfolded in front of him.
The loss drops the Giants to 2-11, a record that reflects just how chaotic this season has been. Injuries, inconsistency, and a carousel of kickers have all played a part.
Koo is the third kicker the team has used this year. Jude McAtamney was cut earlier in the season after multiple misses in a loss to Denver.
Veteran Graham Gano, the team’s original starter, has battled both injuries and accuracy issues.
Now, with four games left and a bye week ahead, the Giants have some soul-searching to do - and some decisions to make. They’ll return to action on December 14 against the Washington Commanders, hoping to find some stability in a season that’s been anything but.
For Koo, Monday night’s misstep was a rare and unfortunate blemish in an otherwise dependable career. But in the NFL, especially under the lights, even the smallest slip can become a spotlight moment.