Graham Gano Says He Gave the Giants Everything Despite Six Years of Injuries

Graham Gano is done with the New York Giants, and his goodbye came with a dose of honesty about what the team actually got from him.

The kicker was released in March after failing a physical, ending a six-year run that saw him go from one of the NFL’s most reliable legs to a guy who spent more time on the sideline than on the field. On Thursday, he posted a farewell on social media that made one thing clear: he knows he wasn’t at his best for most of it.

“I wish I could have given you the healthy version of me for all 6 years NY. Not a single regret though. I gave it all, everyday. Go Big Blue,” Gano wrote alongside a photo of the New York skyline.

That’s about as raw as you’ll get from a player in his position. No spin. No what-ifs. Just a guy who knew his body wasn’t cooperating and still felt good about what he left out there.

The early years looked like a dream

Gano was a Pro Bowler with the Carolina Panthers in 2017, hitting 29 of 30 field goals. That kind of accuracy made him one of the hottest available kickers when he hit free agency in 2020. The Giants scooped him up, and in his first season in New York, he looked like a steal. He made 31 of 32 field goals and 21 of 23 extra points.

In 2022, the year the Giants made the playoffs, he was nearly as good. He connected on 29 of 32 field goals and 32 of 34 extra points and played every single game. That was the last full season he’d give them.

Then the injuries piled up

Over his final three years with the team, Gano played in just 23 of a possible 51 games. He hit 29 of 38 field goal attempts in that stretch — including a rough six-miss season in 2023 — though he was perfect on extra points. The numbers tell the story of a player whose body couldn’t keep up with his will.

At 39 years old, it’s fair to wonder if he’ll try to catch on somewhere else. The Giants moved on after that failed physical, and other teams will have the same medical questions. But Gano’s message wasn’t about what’s next. It was about what was, and he seems at peace with that.