Kicker Younghoe Koo is expected to replace the injured Graham Gano when the New York Giants visit the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
Gano revealed Thursday he has been diagnosed with a herniated disc that is pressing against his spinal cord.
With that in mind and the fact Gano has yet to practice this week, Giants coach Brian Daboll said he “assumed it’s going to be Koo” to handle the kicking duties this weekend.
Koo, 31, has not played since Week 1 with the Atlanta Falcons. He was released on Sept. 19 after a rough start to the season.
In the season opener, a 23-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Koo missed a 44-yard try in the closing seconds. He was inactive in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Koo joined the Falcons in 2019 and went on to become one of the NFL’s most reliable kickers. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2020 after leading the league with 37 made field goals on 39 attempts.
Gano, 38, has made 9 of 10 field goal attempts in five games this season. For his career, he has connected on 342 of 408 field goals (83.8%) in 207 games.
