1-on-1 with Graham Gano: Giants’ placekicker ‘ready to go’ after injury-shortened year

New York Giants placekicker Graham Gano is coming off a disappointing, injury-shortened season. The 37-year-old took some time to answer questions from Big Blue View as he approaches his 15th NFL season.

Q: How healthy are you at this point? Are you 100% ready to go?

A: “Yeah, I’m ready to go. I’ve been cleared for a while now. Hitting the ball well and had a good offseason. Things are good.”

Q: You missed that 60-yarder earlier in camp. You feel like you’ve still got that?

A: “Yeah, that was into the wind. I think I hit a good ball, just short. I think the line that day was 56 (yards). It’s past the distance that we set, but you’ve got to give it a heave in practice. Yeah, I’m feeling good.”

Q: You said when you got hurt that you were hoping to come back as quickly as possible. Had the situation been different, was there any chance you could have come back during the year?

A: “No, I don’t think so. If I would have come back earlier I probably would have risked further damage to it as it needed the time to heal. It was my femur and cartilage on the left side of my leg. Right behind the knee. I probably should have not tried to push through it as much, but that’s football. Everybody deals with injuries and what not. By the Jets game it was kind of evident I can’t do this anymore. It was a frustrating end, but I’m happy to be back.”

Q: You said you’re 100% healthy. You feel like you’ve got a few years left in that leg?

A: “I’ve got a few years left on my contract, so I better. My leg feels good. I’m hitting the ball well. The new kickoff rule isn’t as taxing on the leg.”

Q: I was just about to ask how much (the new kickoff rule) changes?

A: “Not a lot. In the past we’ve done a lot of different types of kicks especially when I first got here with Joe Judge. We did all kinds of different trick kicks. I think with a soccer background it’s kind of a lot like that. Placing the ball in different parts of the field. Hang time is kind of irrelevant now.”

Q: I saw some teams were talking about messing around with somebody who wasn’t a place kicker just because of the potential for tackles. From your study, from what you’ve seen, is there more of a potential for you to have to get involved?

A: “Oh for sure. I see that happening. I think in the UFL, is that where they had it? The kickers were involved in like 38 percent of the tackles or something like that. It’s definitely something to expect. That’s part of the game. I’ve had a handful of tackles in my career. Not something I shy away from. I’m not also the greatest tackler on the team compared to a lot of the guys, but I’m not afraid.”

Q: Let me ask you about (rookie placekicker) Jude (McAtamney) real quick. Just from what we can see he has a massive leg. Just the height of some of those kicks. What do you see from him in terms of his development and maybe his future?

A: I’m excited for him. He’s been doing really well. He asks me a lot of great questions. I told him I’m an open book. However I can help him I will. I’m excited for him. He’s been hitting the ball really great at camp. I think if he can tighten everything up he’ll play for a while. I think he’s definitely got a chance.”

Q: He didn’t really kick field goals last year ...

A: “That’s kind of mind blowing to me. Watching him kick field goals here I don’t know what they were looking at at Rutgers. They must have had a stellar kicker there. Jude’s done a great job here. It’s fun to watch him kick. Like you said he’s got a cannon of a leg. He hits a high ball, but in this area you can’t really hit a high ball. It’ll blow everywhere. I think he’s done a great job from beginning camp to now to adjusting to that. He had a great day out there today. It’s exciting to watch him.”

McAtamney went 6 for 6 on field goals on Tuesday before I spoke with Gano, the final one from 60 yards.

“Into the wind, too. He hit a really good ball.”

Q: Earlier in camp, might have even been in the spring, Bobby Okereke was asked about personnel changes on this team. He was asked who are the leaders on this team. He mentioned you as one of the locker room leaders, as one of those guys. How do you lead as a place kicker? Or, do you really feel like you can lead?

A: “I think you develop a lot of the confidence and trust from the teammates and what you do off the field as well. How I’m participating in the weight room. The types of things that I’m doing that they’re also doing.

“I think a lot of people have the mindset of a kicker being the guy that’s not an athlete and kind of the outcast. Nowadays, kickers aren’t really that anymore. You’ve got really good athletes that just so happen to specialize in kicking footballs.

“I think I’ve just being around for a long time. A lot of guys come ask me a lot of questions. I have a lot of advice being the older guy now.

“I try to lead in every way I can. I’m appreciative. The players have voted me captain and they see me as that the past few years. I think it’s something you’ve got to bring to work every day and just be willing to do what’s best for the team.”

Q: What does Ghobi (special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial) bring that’s different?

A: “I don’t know about different. He’s doing a great job. The players are fired up to go out there and compete, especially with new things happening this year on kickoff. He’s doing a good job.”

Q: You’ve been here for three years now with Joe Schoen, Brian Daboll. How maybe has Daboll evolved a little bit. Can you speak to anything that’s changed here over the years?

A: “Not really. I feel like he’s been pretty consistent. I don’t really think much has changed, really. He is who he is. Guys like him as a head coach.

“I feel like we just have to put things together on the field. I don’t really see much change.”

Q: I think after a while sometimes in a training camp when you’ve been through a bunch of them, you can kind of get a feel for how things are going. Can you get a feel for how things are going?

A: “I think every year I have a winning mentality. I’ve heard people say that before, but I’ve been part of great teams. I’ve been part of not so great teams. I think you just take it day by day and not get into the hypotheticals and do you think this team is going to be great or not.”

Q: Last thing, how’s the family? You got any future kickers coming along? (Gano has five children)

A: “Actually my son’s first day of pads is today, tackling. It’s my oldest in middle school. He’s playing middle school football.

“They want him to try out for kicker so I’m pretty excited about it. He’s playing wide receiver, safety and, hopefully, kicker.”

Q: So, what’s his range?

A: “I’ve seen him hit from 40 yards. As a 12-year-old that’s not bad.”