Younghoe Koo ready to kick for Giants in place of Graham Gano
The Giants are not going to get kicked in the teeth on special teams again.
Younghoe Koo will be elevated from the practice squad to handle PATs and field goals in place of the injured Graham Gano on Sunday against the Bears, head coach Brian Daboll revealed before Friday’s practice.
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Gano (herniated disc in his neck) said Thursday he was hoping the doctors would let him kick Friday, but it didn’t happen.
The Giants can’t risk another game in which they are shorthanded at kicker because of a preexisting or early game injury to Gano, which has happened three times in the past three seasons.
“I would assume it’s going to be Koo,” Daboll said, “but we’ll see how [Gano] feels.”
The Giants ruled out Gano, 38, and could put him on injured reserve and rule him out for the next four games (for the second time this season). That designation effectively could end his season, though he is signed through 2026.
“That’s out of my control,” Gano said after Thursday’s practice. “That’s not something we’ve talked about yet. I find those things out after the fact. I hope not. I want to play. I don’t think anybody on this team really wants to go on IR ever.”
Koo has converted 85.8 percent of his field goals during an eight-year career but was cut by the Falcons after Week 1. He has been more successful outdoors than in domes over his career.
The Giants worked out rookie kicker Ben Sauls on Thursday. Jude McAtamney, who missed three PATs in four games this season, is another practice squad option.
Gano revealed Thursday that he has dealt with death threats from fans and gamblers during his trying three-year period of recurring injuries.
WFAN, the Giants’ flagship radio partner, cited sources Thursday in reporting that Daboll was going to be fired off the plane after blowing a 19-point fourth-quarter lead to the Broncos on Oct. 19.
The report belonged to Shaun Morash, who was in Tiki Barber’s co-host chair for the “Evan and Tiki” show while Barber — a Giants legend and postgame analyst — was out.
No other outlet, including The Post, has confirmed that report.
Did Daboll — who said Giants public relations made him aware of the report Friday morning before talking to media — have the sense that his job was in jeopardy that night?
“Other than that, no,” Daboll said. “Not winning enough games. There are a lot of reports out there. I don’t think you focus on those. You focus on the things you can control.”
In addition to Gano, CB Paulson Adebo (knee), WR Beaux Collins (neck), DL Chauncey Golston (neck), LB Darius Muasau (ankle) and C John Micheal Schmitz (shin) were ruled out. Add third-string QB Jameis Winston, and there is the baseline inactive list for Sunday.
OLB Victor Dimukeje (shoulder) is doubtful.
There likely will be cuts or players moved to injured reserve Saturday to fill the holes in the roster off the practice squad.
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