NFL

Giants signing kicker Randy Bullock with Graham Gano set for surgery

It took one missed field goal too many for the Giants to change their mind about Graham Gano’s ability to kick through injury.

Gano is headed for left knee surgery and a spot on injured reserve, The Post confirmed. He will be replaced by veteran Randy Bullock, who is joining the practice squad.

Bullock won a tryout for four kickers — he was joined by Robbie Gould, Mason Crosby and Matthew Wright — after Thursday’s practice and figures to be elevated for Sunday’s game against the Raiders.

Gano first appeared on the Oct. 18 injury report, but the Giants tried to get by without an alternative and paid the price when he missed two field goals last Sunday against the Jets, including what essentially would have been a game-clincher with 24 seconds remaining.

The Jets won, 13-10, in overtime.

Signing Bullock — who has made 83.4 percent of his field goals over 138 career games — was quite a pivot for the Giants.

Asked about Gano’s health after the game, head coach Brian Daboll said that he is “all right” and the Giants “felt comfortable with him.”

Graham Gano (9) during Giants practice on Nov. 2, 2023.
Graham Gano (9) during Giants practice on Nov. 2, 2023. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post

As recently as before Thursday’s practice, the Giants’ plan was to have Gano “work through it,” special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey said.

Now, Gano, who signed a three-year extension worth $16.5 million in September, will be sidelined for at least four games.

“You know, Graham’s pretty good,” McGaughey said. “And he’s better than most even when he’s at 80-85 percent, 70 percent.”

Randy Bullock with the Titans last season.
Randy Bullock with the Titans last season. Getty Images

But it was clear that something was wrong with Gano given that he made 91.8 percent of his field goals from 2020-22 before going 11-for-17 (64.7 percent) this season.

Gano, who was not available to the media Thursday, refused to use his injury as an excuse during Sunday’s postgame interview.

“I think if he goes out on the field, he’s got to be capable of doing the job, you know what I mean?” McGaughey said. “It’s just one of those deals: You sign up, you put a jersey on, here we go. They call your number, you’ve got to make the kick. That’s part of the job.”

The job now belongs to Bullock, who made 17 of 21 field goals for the Titans last season and previously made 2 of 3 PATs during a one-game stint with the 2016 Giants.