New York Giants kicker Younghoe Koo experienced a highly unusual play during sunday’s 33-15 loss, inadvertently kicking the ground instead of the football during a field goal attempt. The bizarre mishap resulted in a 13-yard loss as holder Jamie Gillan scrambled to recover the loose ball and run with it.
The incident underscored a challenging night for the Giants’ special teams, and the team but Koo clarified post-game that the failed attempt stemmed from an issue with the ball’s positioning. According to the New York Post, Koo explained he aborted his kick due to movement in the ball during Gillan’s hold, fearing an unsuccessful attempt in the cold weather. “I was approaching the ball and, cold weather, the ball kind of slipped out at the bottom so it was moving,” Koo said. “I wasn’t able to kick through the ball.The ball was moving when I was driving to it, so I just pulled up on it.”
Koo acknowledged Gillan’s rapid reaction in securing the ball, but stated the damage was already done by that point. “Jamie did a good job of catching it and putting it back,” he said,”but,at that point,it was too late.” While the botched field goal wasn’t solely responsible for the 18-point defeat, it served as a visible depiction of the broader struggles faced by the Giants on Sunday, highlighting areas needing immediate improvement for the team moving forward.
