New York Giants News & Rumors

Giants K Graham Gano Injures Groin Minutes Before Game

The Giants may be working without their primary placekicker in tonight’s matchup with the Chiefs. Minutes before kickoff, kicker Graham Gano was seen heading back into the locker room before being announced as questionable with a groin injury, per Dan Duggan of The Athletic.

New York does have backup kicker Jude McAtamney on the practice squad, but McAtamney is not active to play tonight. That would mean the likeliest option to kick field goals and extra points would be punter Jamie Gillan. Gillan is the field goal formation’s usual holder and return man Gunner Olszewski is the backup holder. One wonders, though, if part of Olszewski’s responsibilities as backup holder requires practicing on both sides, considering Gillan is a lefty.

Per a narrative timeline from Connor Hughes of SportsNet New York, Gano came back from the locker room with his helmet and started kicking into the net on the sideline. After a few kicks, though, Gano went to talk to a trainer, and Gillian began taking reps in the kicking net, leading one to believe that Gillan may be the man tapped to fill in for Gano if the veteran kicker truly can’t go.

Through one quarter of play, no field goals, extra points, or kickoffs were attempted by the Giants. It will be interesting to see if Gano ends up being inactive or if his absence affects the way New York calls plays in situations where field goals make sense. Whenever they do kick, it looks like the punter Gillan will be called on for the try.

Giants LT Andrew Thomas To Make 2025 Debut

Following rumors throughout the week that Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas may finally make his way back to the field again this season, the team officially announced that Thomas is active for tonight’s matchup with the Chiefs. The question remains, though, just how active Thomas will be.

Thomas was limited to six games last season due to a Lisfranc injury, one which required a screw to be inserted into his foot. The screw has since been removed, something which caused a slight delay in his rehab process. Thomas also underwent an ankle scope this offseason, resulting in plenty of uncertainty in his regular season availability.

Thomas took part in practice for Weeks 1 and 2 but was listed as doubtful for both contests. With an increased workload this week, some optimism arose that keeping him off of any type of injured lists to open the season was, perhaps, a good move. While things were certainly improving, Thomas was reportedly still not at 100-percent health. This led to some speculation on what might be the best way to get Thomas back up to speed.

Yesterday saw reports that Thomas could certainly make his season debut tonight, but it may not be as a full-time starter. As he focuses on longevity on his way back, it had been proposed that Thomas may play in a rotation on the offensive line. Marcus Mbow has been helping to fill in on the blindside for Thomas and would likely be the one rotating with him at left tackle, especially considering that the team is not considering moving Mbow inside to guard with Thomas’ return.

Regardless of how much time he sees, the Giants will certainly be happy to get Thomas back on the field tonight. It will be interesting to see just how much he can go as he continues to ramp his way back up to full health.

Giants Expect LT Andrew Thomas To Play In Week 3

SEPTEMBER 20: With Thomas set to return on at least a rotational basis, Mbow is indeed in line for a part-time role on the blindside or a return to backup duties. Daboll confirmed (via Bridget Reilly of the New York Post) Mbow taking over a first-team spot at guard is not being considered

SEPTEMBER 18: Andrew Thomas has been absent through the first two weeks of the season, leaving the Giants’ offensive line notably shorthanded. That could change on Sunday.

Thomas took part in practice for Weeks 1 and 2, and he has once again been on the field in recent days. That included an increased workload Wednesday, and ESPN’s Jordan Raanan notes there is a strong chance a return to play in time for Sunday night could take place. Head coach Brian Daboll‘s comments on the matter suggested that is the team’s expectation (h/t Dan Duggan of The Athletic).

Thomas remained on the active/PUP list until mid-August while recovering from the Lisfranc injury which cut his 2024 campaign short. The screw inserted into his foot as part of his initial surgery was removed, and as a result his recovery timeline was pushed back to an extent. Having also undergone an ankle scope this offseason, Thomas has understandably been handled with caution in terms of his return to action. Being available for New York’s upcoming game would of course be critical, though.

Replacement left tackle James Hudson struggled mightily in Week 2, drawing four penalty flags before being benched for Marcus Mbow. The latter, a fifth-round rookie, fared better upon taking on blindside duties but he would return to a backup role provided Thomas is cleared to play. Duggan notes a move to guard is unlikely in Mbow’s case given the fact he did not see any reps on the inside during training camp.

Thomas’ contract was restructured just before the start of the season. The 26-year-old remains on the books through 2029, so his long-term health will remain a priority for the team. A cautious approach has been taken to date, but a continued ramping up of his workload over the coming days would pave the way for a season debut on Sunday. The Giants will seek their first win of the campaign against a Chiefs team which also finds itself at 0-2.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/20/25

Here are today’s minor moves and Week 3’s standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Elevated: T Tyler McLellan

Washington Commanders

There were some eyes on whether or not the Browns would add a kicker for the weekend after Andre Szmyt needed to undergo some MRI testing, but no such moves were made and Szmyt heads into the weekend without an injury designation. The team did report a workout with veteran kicker Matthew Wright, though, per Howard Balzer of CardsWire.

The 49ers will lose some additional offensive line depth as they place their intended swing tackle, Burford, on injured reserve. Additionally, with Martinez not getting signed to the active roster, it appears that injured starter Brock Purdy will not be active as an emergency option, as was rumored a bit yesterday. Purdy should be inactive as a result.

Herbig announced his retirement at the end of July after spending a good portion of the offseason with the Commanders. The 27-year-old was coming off a 2024 season in which he missed the entirety of the year with a shoulder injury. Washington’s release of Herbig from the reserve/retired list gives him an opportunity to sign with a new team as a free agent. There’s no guarantee that he’s headed anywhere specific, but he likely initiated the transaction in order to explore his options.

NFL Injury Updates: Penning, Thomas, Seahawks, MNF

The Saints have been dealing with multiple injuries on the offensive line this week. In his first season with the team, guard Dillon Radunz has been spot starting in place of presumed starting guard Trevor Penning, who has been dealing with a turf toe injury since the preseason.

Per Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football, Radunz has been ruled out as he deals with a toe injury of his own. Penning, though, may be available to retake a starting spot. The fourth-year lineman hasn’t played yet in 2025, but he returned to practice on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell.

Formerly the Saints’ starting right tackle, Penning was expected to shift into a starting role on the inside as first-round Texas rookie Kelvin Banks took the starting left tackle job, pushing last year’s first-round rookie left tackle, Taliese Fuaga, to the right side of the line. Penning was a limited participant for the rest of the week of practice, and he’s listed as questionable, but with Radunz out, Penning may be challenged to make his season debut.

Fuaga is also listed as questionable, despite not practicing at all this week as he deals with knee and back issues. Joining Radunz with an out designation is defensive end Chase Young, who like Penning, has not played yet this year.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:

  • Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas has yet to play in 2025 as he works his way back from a Lisfranc injury from 2024. The veteran lineman is listed as questionable this week and has been rumored as likely to play. He may be able to do so without fully coming back. Per Ryan Dunleavy of New York Post Sports, Thomas hasn’t “ruled out that he could play in a rotation as he works his way back” with a focus on longevity. The team will see how he feels today before making a final decision on his status for tomorrow, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, but the idea of using a rotation to ease him in is seemingly gaining popularity.
  • The Seahawks sustained injuries over the last week to running back Zach Charbonnet, cornerback Devon Witherspoon, and safety Julian Love. There was worry that each player could be out for an extended period of time, but The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar reports that none of the three are being considered for stints on injured reserve. All three, though, are doubtful to play in Week 3.
  • After tight end Isaiah Likely suffered a foot injury in training camp, the Ravens opted not to place him on any injured lists to avoid a guaranteed four-week absence. The 25-year-old returned to practice this week but won’t be active to play on Monday. They’ll likely aim to have him back in time Week 4. Joining Likely as a scratch this week will be defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Madubuike is dealing with a neck injury, and the team is evaluating some symptoms they’ve seen throughout the week to be safe. Sixth-round rookie Aeneas Peebles is likely to get some increased run this week as a result.
  • As for the other Monday Night Football team, the Lions will be without pass rusher Marcus Davenport for their trip to Baltimore, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Davenport declined to give any details about the nature of his injury, but his arm has been seen in a sling. Whatever the situation, head coach Dan Campbell does not see the situation as season-ending.

HC Brian Daboll, DC Shane Bowen On Hot Seats?

Coming into the season, rumors were already hinting that Giants head coach Brian Daboll‘s seat was starting to heat up with pressure to win. An 0-2 start to the year has done nothing to cool things off, and according to Tony Pauline of sportskeeda, defensive coordinator Shane Bowen may be starting to feel the heat, as well. Pauline’s sources claim that both coaches are “hanging on by a thread.”

Daboll started his career as a head coach on a strong note, going 9-7-1 in 2022 — good for 3rd in the NFC East and a wild card spot in the playoffs, where his team defeated a 13-4 Vikings squad before falling to the Eagles. The next year, a season-ending injury to Daniel Jones derailed New York’s offense, while the defense, despite a high efficiency on third downs, struggled as the sixth-worst unit in the NFL. The resulting 6-11 record led the Giants and then-defensive coordinator Wink Martindale to part ways.

Bowen came in to replace Martindale, fresh off three seasons in the same role in Tennessee. In his first season with Big Blue last year, Bowen’s defense showed improvement, ranking 21st in scoring allowed and eighth in passing yards allowed. In 2025 so far, no defense has given up more yards through their first two games. If things don’t change soon, both Bowen and Daboll could find themselves in danger of becoming the first coaching casualties of the young season.

So, how might things change? Pauline’s sources point to the quarterback position. Unfortunately for starting passer Russell Wilson, despite his 450-yard Week 2 performance, the fate of his starting role could be tied to the security of Daboll and Bowen’s jobs.

Per Pauline, if an expected rout by the Chiefs takes place this weekend at the Meadowlands, rookie first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart may find himself running on the first-team offense as soon as next weekend, when the Chargers come to town. If the presumed bad result against the Chiefs doesn’t boost Dart to the starting role in time for Los Angeles, Pauline’s sources claim Dart should be starting in time for a Week 5 trip to New Orleans at the latest.

If a change at quarterback is as guaranteed as they seem to be implying, it may behoove the team to make the move sooner, rather than later. While the Saints would, perhaps, be a softer test for Dart, the stretch of games immediately following sees matchups with the Eagles (twice), Broncos, 49ers, Bears, Packers, and Lions, who all could make life tough for a first-year starter. With that in mind, it may be smart to get Dart incorporated into the starting lineup with as much time to get up to speed as possible.

Of course, this is all speculation at the moment. Currently, Daboll’s fate is in the hands of Wilson, who led the Steelers to a playoff appearance just last year. Things haven’t gone according to plan so far, but Daboll may view Wilson’s experience as his best chance at turning around the season. If things continue to go poorly, though, showing potential for improvement behind a younger arm may be his only chance at saving his job. As for Bowen, his job may be fully dependent on the defense’s ability to turn things around against a grueling upcoming slate of games.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/17/25

Today’s midweek practice squad moves:

Dallas Cowboys

Houston Texans

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/16/25

Today’s practice squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

  • Signed: LB Malik Hamm

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Washington Commanders

  • Signed: G Tyler Cooper, WR Tay Martin
  • Placed on IR: G Darrian Dalcourt

The Steelers added a notable wide receiver to their taxi squad in Isaiah Hodgins. The wideout bounced between the Giants practice squad and active roster in 2024, but he’s not far removed from a stretch between 2022 and 2023 when he hauled in 58 catches for 622 yards and seven touchdowns. He’ll be joining a group of practice squad WRs that includes Rakim Jarrett and rookie Ke’Shawn Williams.

Speaking of the Giants, they added a veteran linebacker in Neville Hewitt. The 32-year-old has appeared in 146 games in time with the Dolphins, Jets, and Texans. His best season came with New York in 2020, when he compiled 134 tackles and a pair of sacks. He mostly saw a special teams role while in Houston, but he rebounded in 2024, tallying 59 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles in 17 games (four starts).

NFL Minor Transactions: 9/16/25

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

  • Signed: LB Maema Njongmeta (off Bengals practice squad), C Nick Samac (off Ravens practice squad)

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

New York Giants