 Gano with theCarolina Panthers in 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||
| No. 9 – New York Giants | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Placekicker | ||||||||||||||||||
| Roster status |  Injured reserve | ||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1987-04-09)April 9, 1987 (age 38) Arbroath, Scotland[1] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 202 lb (92 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||
| High school | J. M. Tate(Cantonment, Florida, U.S.) | ||||||||||||||||||
| College | Florida State (2005–2008) | ||||||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2009: undrafted | ||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of Week 10, 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
Graham Gano (gə-NOH; born April 9, 1987) is a Scottish–American professionalfootballplacekicker for theNew York Giants of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theFlorida State Seminoles and was signed by theBaltimore Ravens as anundrafted free agent in 2009. Gano has also played for theLas Vegas Locomotives in theUnited Football League (UFL), theWashington Redskins and theCarolina Panthers. During his time with the Panthers, he achieved the franchise's record for longestfield goal at 63 yards in 2018.
Gano was born in a military base inArbroath, Scotland and is of Scottish descent through his mother.[2] His father, Mark, was aUnited States Navy Master Chief Petty Officer and Vietnam veteran who was stationed at Canadian Forces Base,Gander, Newfoundland when Gano was born. Gano has a long line of ancestors who served in the military, including his great grandfather Richard Gano, and grandfather Raymond ofMartinsburg, West Virginia.[3] Gano grew up inCantonment, Florida, nearPensacola, Florida and attendedJ. M. Tate High School, Home of the Mighty Mighty Aggies, where he was a two-sport star infootball and track. Inhigh school football, he was anAll-American First-team selection byUSA Today and the nation's third-ranked kicker byRivals.com.[4] Gano played in the CaliFlorida All-Star game, completing a 50-yard field goal in the game. During his senior season, Gano kicked three field goals over 55 yards (57, 64, and 65 yards) and had a 71-yard field goal made which was negated by a penalty. A total of 36 of his 38 kickoffs weretouchbacks and he averaged better than 42 yards per punt as a senior.[4]
As a standouttrack & field athlete, Gano was one of the state's top performers in the sprinting events. He captured three state titles in track at the 2005 FHSAA 3A District 1, winning the100-meter dash, with a time of 10.55 seconds, the200-meter dash, with a time of 21.70 seconds, and the400-meter dash, with a time of 48.00 seconds.[5]
Gano attendedFlorida State University from 2005 to 2008, playing as a kicker and punter for theFlorida State Seminoles.[6]
During his senior year in 2008, Gano finished first in theFBS for field goals made, percentage of field goals converted and 50-yard field goals made, and was theLou Groza Award winner as the nation's top kicker.[7] He was one of only two kickers in college to make over 90% of his field goal attempts in the 2008 season. He was the highest scoring kicker in America and fourth overall in the FBS in scoring. He was aRivals.com,Scout.com, andCBS Sports first-team All-American. Gano was listed as Walter Camp,Associated Press,Sporting News,SI.com, andPhil Steele second-team All-American. He earnedAll-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) First-team honors as well.
Gano was four-time ACC Specialist of the Week for his kicking performances againstNC State,Virginia Tech,Clemson, andMaryland. He also was a two-time Lou Groza Star of the Week honoree for his performances in Florida State's victories over NC State and Clemson. He was named offensive special teams player of the year for the Seminoles as selected by the Florida State coaching staff. He led the ACC in field goals per game with a career-high 2.2 field goals per game average. Gano has the highest field goal percentage in the ACC; in 2008, he made 92.3 percent of his field goal attempts (24 of 26) and led the league in field goals made with 24. He was also the ACC's leading scorer with 105 points and a 9.5 points per game average. Gano is the only kicker in FSU history to convert over 90% of his field goals in a season. He is one of only two punters ever to be named the MVP of a bowl game, when he was named the Most Valuable Player in the2008 Champs Sports Bowl. He holds the Seminoles single season record for 50+-yard field goals, completing five straight attempts from 50 yards or longer. Despite only kicking for one season, Gano finished second in career 50-yard field goals at FSU behind two time Lou Groza Award winnerSebastian Janikowski.[4]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft0+3⁄8 in (1.84 m) | 194 lb (88 kg) | 30+3⁄8 in (0.77 m) | 7+7⁄8 in (0.20 m) | |||||||||
| All values fromNFL Combine[8][9][10] | ||||||||||||
Gano signed with theBaltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent immediately after the2009 NFL draft.[11] After the Ravens namedSteve Hauschka as their kicker, they waived Gano on September 5.[12]
Gano was signed by theLas Vegas Locomotives of theUnited Football League after being cut by the Ravens. He earned the first points for the league after converting a 32-yardfield goal, and hit a then-UFL record long field goal of 53 yards. He was responsible for the winning field goal which gave the Locomotives the first ever UFL championship.[13] He finished the season leading the league in scoring and field goals made.[14]
On December 8, 2009, Gano was signed by theWashington Redskins, replacing veteranShaun Suisham. He successfully connected on his first career NFL field goal attempt, a 46-yard attempt against theOakland Raiders on December 13, 2009.[15] He appeared in three games in the 2009 season.[16]
Gano continued to play for the Redskins in the 2010 season. He cemented his status as a clutch kicker for the Redskins by contributing to three overtime game-winning field goals when playing against theGreen Bay Packers,Tennessee Titans, andJacksonville Jaguars.[17][18][19] Gano earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his game against Jacksonville.[20] In the 2010 season, Gano converted all 28 extra point attempts and 24 of 35 field goal attempts.[21]
Due to Gano's inconsistency in the 2010 season, the Redskins broughtShayne Graham to compete.[22] After a good performance in the preseason and horrible performance by Graham in the first preseason game, Gano was kept on the final roster before the start of the new season. In Week 9 against theSan Francisco 49ers in the 2011 season, he kicked a 59-yard field goal, which broke the Redskins' franchise record of 57 yards.[23] At the end of the season, he made 31 of 41 field goal attempts with five of the ten misses being blocked kicks.[24]
On March 3, 2012, the Redskins tendered a contract with Gano establishing exclusive negotiating rights and guaranteeing him a league minimum salary.[25] He was once again forced to compete for his job after the team signedNeil Rackers.[26] Originally it seemed that once again, Gano kept his spot on the Redskins' roster after Rackers was cut by the team on August 27.[27][28] In a surprise transaction by the Redskins, Gano was released the next day after the team signed veteranBilly Cundiff.[29]
On November 20, 2012, Gano was signed by theCarolina Panthers, replacingJustin Medlock.[30] He played in the last six games of the season under head coachRon Rivera and converted nine out of eleven field goal attempts.[31] In the 2013 season, he converted all 42 extra point attempts and 24 of 27 field goal attempts.[32]
On February 28, 2014, it was announced that Gano had signed a new four-year contract with the Panthers worth $12.4 million.[33] He converted all 34 extra point attempts and 29 of 35 field goal attempts.[34]
On November 2, 2015, Gano kicked a game-winning 52-yard field goal in overtime against theIndianapolis Colts. The successful field goal helped move the Panthers to a franchise-best 7–0 start.[35]
Gano had an NFL-leading 62 points in November 2015, going 15-for-17 on field goals and 17-for-18 on extra-point attempts. For his performance during November, Gano was awarded the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month He became only the second kicker in Panthers' franchise history to win the award (the first wasJohn Kasay in September1996). Through the first 12 weeks of the season, Gano ranked second in NFL in points scored with 110, trailing onlyNew England Patriots kicker,Stephen Gostkowski (111).[36] During the Panthers 38–35 victory over theNew York Giants, Gano kicked his second walk-off winner this season as time expired to move the Panthers to a 14–0 record.[37] Gano finished the 2015 NFL season with 146 points, breakingJohn Kasay‘s team record for most in a season (145, 1996).[38] During the season, he also topped the NFL with 69 touchbacks and a 72.0 yard average kickoff distance.[39]
InSuper Bowl 50, Gano was one-of-two on field goals and converted the lone extra point for the Panthers. In the third quarter with the Panthers trailing by a score of 13–7, Gano missed a field goal that hit off the right side of the goal post. The Panthers went on to fall to theDenver Broncos by a score of 24–10.[40]
In the 2016 season, Gano converted 31 of 34 extra point attempts and 30 of 38 field goal attempts.[41]
On September 17, 2017, in Week 2, Gano scored all of the Panthers' points in a 9–3 victory over theBuffalo Bills. The three field goals he converted were a 34-yarder, 28-yarder, and a 20-yarder.[42]
In the2017–18 Playoffs, Gano missed a 25-yard field goal attempt early in a Wild Card Round against the Saints, but would go on to make four field goals, including a 58-yard field goal, tyingPete Stoyanovich for the longest field goal made in the postseason in NFL history.[43] In the 2017 season, Gano finished with 34 of37 extra points made and 29 of 30 field goals made.[44]
Gano was named to his first Pro Bowl in2017 as an injury replacement forGreg Zuerlein.[45]
On March 6, 2018, Gano signed a four-year, $17 million contract extension with the Panthers.[46] On October 7, 2018, Gano kicked a 63-yard field goal game-winning field goal as time expired in a 33–31 victory over the Giants, earning him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[47] The kick also tied the non-altitude assisted field goal record set in 1970 byTom Dempsey and tied in 2012 byDavid Akers.[48][49] He earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for October.[50] He was placed oninjured reserve on December 19, 2018, after sitting out the previous two games due to injury.[51] He finished the season having converted 30 of 33 extra point attempts and 14 of 16 field goal attempts.[52]
On August 30, 2019, Gano was placed on injured reserve, ending his 2019 season.[53] He was released by the team on July 30, 2020.[54]
Gano signed with the Giants on August 19, 2020.[55]
Gano set a Giants franchise record in Week 5 when he successfully kicked three field goals of 50 or more yards at Dallas (50, 54 and 55 yards).[56] In Week 9 against his former team, theWashington Football Team (then known as the Washington Redskins), Gano was a perfect two for two on extra point attempts and a perfect three for three on field goal attempts during the 23–20 win. Gano was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in Week 9.[57]
On November 15, 2020, Gano signed a three-year, $14 million contract extension through 2023.[58] On November 17, 2020, Gano was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list after testing positive forCOVID-19.[59] He was activated on November 28, 2020.[60] He finished the 2020 season with 21 of 23 extra point attempts converted and 31 of 32 field goal attempts converted.[61]
On October 3, 2021, Gano missed a 35 yard field goal against theNew Orleans Saints ending his streak of most consecutive field goals made of just 37 which tied withJason Myers in fourth place in the NFL record.[62] Gano was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for making all 3 field goals in Week 7 game against the Panthers.[63] In the 2021 season, Gano converted all 17 extra point attempts and 29 of 33 field goal attempts.[64]
On May 10, 2022,Kayvon Thibodeaux donated $50,000 to a charity to get the #5 jersey from Gano, who switched from #5 to #9.[65] In Week 2 game against the Panthers, Gano made four field goals in the 19–16 win and was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[66] He converted 32 of 34 extra point attempts and 29 of 32 field goal attempts in 17 games in the 2022 season.[67]
On September 8, 2023, Gano signed a three-year contract extension with the Giants.[68] He was placed on injured reserve on November 4, 2023.[69]
In the 2024 season, Gano appeared in ten games. He finished converting all 15 extra point attempts and nine of 11 field goal attempts.[70]
In the Giants' Week 3 game against theKansas City Chiefs, Gano suffered a groin injury in warmups, hindering his availability during the 22–9 loss.[71] He was placed on injured reserve as a result of the injury on September 27.[72] On October 25, Gano was activated ahead of the team's Week 8 matchup against thePhiladelphia Eagles.[73] On November 12, he was placed on injured reserve due to a neck injury.[74]
Gano is aChristian.[75] He is married to Brittany Gano. They have five children.[76]
He is related to Stephen G. Gano, who was a member of theRutgers team that played in the first-ever collegiate football game againstPrinceton University.[77]
| Year | Team | Overall FGs | PATs | Points | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FGA | FGM | Pct | Lng | XPA | XPM | Pct | |||
| 2009 | Las Vegas Locomotives | 16 | 13 | 81.6 | 53 | 20 | 20 | 100.0 | 59 |
| Total | 16 | 13 | 81.6 | 53 | 20 | 20 | 100.0 | 59 | |
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | Overall FGs | PATs | Kickoffs | Points | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lng | FGA | FGM | Pct | XPA | XPM | Pct | KO | Avg | TB | |||||||
| 2009 | WAS | 4 | 46 | 4 | 4 | 100.0 | 7 | 6 | 85.7 | 15 | 65.7 | 3 | 18 | |||
| 2010 | WAS | 16 | 49 | 35 | 24 | 68.6 | 28 | 28 | 100.0 | 71 | 65.0 | 9 | 100 | |||
| 2011 | WAS | 16 | 59 | 41 | 31 | 75.6 | 26 | 25 | 96.2 | 73 | 60.6 | 32 | 118 | |||
| 2012 | CAR | 6 | 51 | 11 | 9 | 81.8 | 21 | 20 | 95.2 | 35 | 66.6 | 20 | 47 | |||
| 2013 | CAR | 16 | 55 | 27 | 24 | 88.9 | 42 | 42 | 100.0 | 80 | 64.8 | 63 | 114 | |||
| 2014 | CAR | 16 | 53 | 35 | 29 | 82.9 | 34 | 34 | 100.0 | 79 | 65.8 | 61 | 121 | |||
| 2015 | CAR | 16 | 52 | 36 | 30 | 83.3 | 59 | 56 | 94.9 | 102 | 65.7 | 69 | 146 | |||
| 2016 | CAR | 16 | 54 | 38 | 30 | 78.9 | 34 | 31 | 91.2 | 86 | 63.9 | 63 | 121 | |||
| 2017 | CAR | 16 | 48 | 30 | 29 | 96.7 | 37 | 34 | 91.9 | 83 | 64.0 | 70 | 121 | |||
| 2018 | CAR | 12 | 63 | 16 | 14 | 87.5 | 33 | 30 | 90.9 | 62 | 63.5 | 47 | 72 | |||
| 2019 | CAR | 0 | Did not play due to injury | |||||||||||||
| 2020 | NYG | 16 | 55 | 32 | 31 | 96.9 | 23 | 21 | 91.3 | 73 | 59.7 | 30 | 114 | |||
| 2021 | NYG | 17 | 55 | 33 | 29 | 87.9 | 17 | 17 | 100.0 | 63 | 61.9 | 26 | 104 | |||
| 2022 | NYG | 17 | 57 | 32 | 29 | 90.6 | 34 | 32 | 94.1 | 84 | 60.9 | 50 | 119 | |||
| 2023 | NYG | 8 | 57 | 17 | 11 | 64.7 | 8 | 8 | 100.0 | 28 | 65.0 | 23 | 41 | |||
| 2024 | NYG | 10 | 53 | 11 | 9 | 81.8 | 15 | 15 | 100.0 | 35 | 64.0 | 24 | 42 | |||
| 2025 | NYG | 5 | 55 | 10 | 9 | 90.0 | 9 | 9 | 100.0 | 11 | 60 | 0 | 36 | |||
| Total | 207 | 63 | 408 | 342 | 83.8 | 427 | 408 | 95.6 | 980 | 63.6 | 590 | 1,434 | ||||
