The New York Giants made an odd decision at kicker for Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers, with the team choosing to go with the inexperienced Jude McAtamney over veteran Younghoe Koo.
Koo was released by the Atlanta Falcons last week after his struggles from 2024 bled into 2025. Before his issues, Koo was considered a reliable kicker, with the New Jersey native posting an 85.8% career field goal success rate over eight seasons.
When the Giants signed him to the practice squad, the expectation was that Koo would replace injured kicker Graham Gano, who is now on injured reserve.
However, it was McAtamney who was elevated from the practice squad on Saturday, not Koo. Here's a possible explanation for why that happened.
Why did Giants choose Jude McAtamney over Younghoe Koo?
It isn't clear exactly why the Giants made the decision they did, but ESPN's Jordan Raanan offered some possible insight and it has to do with Koo's struggles with kickoffs in practice during the week.
"Saw very little of them kick at practice this week but Koo definitely shanked a couple kickoffs at practice on Friday," Raanan reported. "One hit off the back of a player on the front line of the return team."
Clearly, Koo still has some kinks to work out.
It's also possible the Giants simply wanted to get a look at the younger kicker in the hopes they find a diamond in the rough and a possible long-term solution.
Who is Jude McAtamney?
McAtamney was signed by the Giants in 2024 as part of the International Player Pathway Program. After failing to make the 53-man roster, the Irish-born kicker was kept on the practice squad before a late-season elevation.
McAtamney has just one field goal attempt in his young career, and it was good from 31 yards out. He is also 1-for-1 on extra points.
After inking a futures deal in 2025, McAtamney again failed to make the 53-man roster but was once again kept on the practice squad. He will be making his 2025 debut on Sunday against the Chargers.
McAtamney, 25, was born in Northern Ireland and played rugby at Rutgers.
Interestingly enough, he makes his 2025 debut in the same week the NFL is playing its first-ever regular season game in Ireland.
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