Younghoe Koo’s Missed Kick Turns Heads on Monday Night Football
In a season that’s already had its fair share of strange moments, Monday night gave us another one - and this one might take the cake. New York Giants kicker Younghoe Koo lined up for what should’ve been a routine field goal against the Patriots. Instead, he ended up kicking nothing but turf, missing the ball entirely and setting off a bizarre chain of events that left fans, commentators, and just about everyone watching wondering what they’d just witnessed.
Let’s set the scene: The Giants were trailing 17-7 and had a chance to close the gap to a one-score game. Koo lined up for the field goal, but as he swung his leg, the ball never left the ground - because he never touched it.
Instead, holder Jamie Gillan had to scramble, picking up the ball and trying to salvage something out of the broken play. It ended with Gillan getting sacked, and the Giants walking away with nothing.
Even longtime NFL voice Troy Aikman was stunned in real time. And honestly, who could blame him?
After the game, Koo addressed the moment that had already gone viral before the final whistle. Speaking to reporters, the 31-year-old explained that he “pulled up” on the kick because he noticed the ball was moving just as he approached it.
“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.”
According to Koo, Gillan did all he could to get the ball back in position, but it wasn’t enough. “Jamie did a good job of catching it and putting it back,” he added, “but, at that point, it was too late.”
Now, let’s be clear - kicks go wrong all the time. Bad snaps, poor holds, gusts of wind - it happens.
But missing the ball entirely? That’s not something you see every week.
And in the age of ultra-HD, multi-angle replays, fans didn’t hesitate to dissect every frame of the miscue. Social media lit up with reactions, many of them skeptical of Koo’s explanation.
Some questioned whether he was trying to protect his field goal percentage. Others joked about eliminating kickers altogether.
To be fair to Koo, the cold-weather conditions can absolutely wreak havoc on ball handling and footing. And if he truly saw the ball shifting as he approached, pulling up might’ve been the safer move to avoid a shanked kick or worse. But it’s also true that the optics weren’t great - especially when the replay showed him planting and swinging with force before catching nothing but turf.
As for the game itself, the Giants ended up falling 33-15. So while the missed kick didn’t change the outcome, it did serve as a microcosm of the Giants’ season: disjointed, frustrating, and filled with moments that leave fans shaking their heads.
For Koo, a veteran kicker with a solid track record, this will likely go down as an unfortunate blip. But in a league where every play is magnified, especially under the Monday Night lights, it’s a moment that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
And for the Giants? It’s another chapter in a season that just can’t seem to get out of its own way.