Graham Gano Bio
Graham Gano is a Scottish-American professional football placekicker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). Born on April 9, 1987, in Arbroath, Scotland, Gano developed into one of the league’s most accurate kickers after playing college football at Florida State University. Across his NFL career, he has also suited up for the Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Locomotives, Washington Redskins, and Carolina Panthers.
During his time with the Panthers, Gano set a franchise record for the longest field goal at 63 yards in 2018. His career honors include a 2017 Pro Bowl selection and the 2008 Lou Groza Award as the top college kicker in the nation.
Early Life and Background
Graham Gano was born on a military base in Arbroath, Scotland. His mother is of Scottish descent, and his father, Mark, was a United States Navy Master Chief Petty Officer and Vietnam veteran. At the time of Graham’s birth, Mark was stationed at Canadian Forces Base Gander in Newfoundland. Gano comes from a long line of military service, including his great-grandfather Richard Gano and grandfather Raymond of Martinsburg, West Virginia.
Gano grew up in Cantonment, Florida, near Pensacola, and attended J. M. Tate High School, known as the Home of the Mighty Mighty Aggies. He starred in both football and track and field. In football, he was a USA Today All-American First-team selection and ranked as the nation’s third-best kicker by Rivals.com. He also played in the CaliFlorida All-Star Game, completing a 50-yard field goal.
As a senior, Gano booted three field goals over 55 yards (57, 64, and 65 yards) and had a 71-yarder negated by a penalty. He averaged better than 42 yards per punt. In track, he won three state titles at the 2005 FHSAA 3A District 1 meet, taking the 100-meter dash in 10.55 seconds, the 200-meter dash in 21.70 seconds, and the 400-meter dash in 48.00 seconds.
Path to American Football
Gano attended Florida State University from 2005 to 2008, serving as both kicker and punter for the Florida State Seminoles. During his senior year in 2008, he led the FBS in field goals made, field goal percentage, and 50-yard field goals made, while also ranking fourth nationally in overall scoring with 105 points.
His 2008 season was decorated with multiple honors. Gano became the highest scoring kicker in America and the only kicker in Florida State history to convert over 90 percent of his field goals in a single season, going 24 of 26 (92.3 percent). He was a first-team All-American from Rivals.com, Scout.com, and CBS Sports, and earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference First-team honors. He was also named the Most Valuable Player of the 2008 Champs Sports Bowl, one of only two punters ever to earn that distinction.
Following the 2009 NFL Draft, Gano signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent. After being waived by the Ravens on September 5, 2009, he joined the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League, where he immediately made an impact.
Graham Gano Career
Early Career (2009)
Gano’s professional career began in 2009 with two brief stops. After a short stint with the Baltimore Ravens, he was signed by the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. In that league, he converted the first points in UFL history with a 32-yard field goal and added a then-UFL record 53-yard field goal. He also kicked the winning field goal that gave the Locomotives the first ever UFL championship.
Later that season, on December 8, 2009, Gano signed with the Washington Redskins, replacing veteran Shaun Suisham. He made his first career NFL field goal on December 13, 2009, a 46-yard kick against the Oakland Raiders, appearing in three games to close out the season.
Washington Redskins Era (2009-2011)
Gano cemented his reputation as a clutch kicker during the 2010 season with the Redskins, contributing to three overtime game-winning field goals against the Green Bay Packers, Tennessee Titans, and Jacksonville Jaguars. His performance against Jacksonville earned him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
In the 2011 season, Gano broke the Redskins’ franchise record with a 59-yard field goal against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 9. Despite finishing the season 31 of 41 on field goal attempts, with five misses blocked, he was released by the team the day after veteran Billy Cundiff was signed.
Carolina Panthers Era (2012-2019)
Gano signed with the Carolina Panthers on November 20, 2012, replacing Justin Medlock under head coach Ron Rivera. He converted nine of eleven field goal attempts in his first six games. In 2013, he made all 42 extra point attempts and 24 of 27 field goals, and on February 28, 2014, he signed a four-year, $12.4 million contract extension.
The 2015 season was a career-defining year. Gano kicked a game-winning 52-yard field goal in overtime against the Indianapolis Colts on November 2, helping the Panthers to a franchise-best 7-0 start. He led the NFL with 62 points in November and was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month. He added a second walk-off winner against the New York Giants to push Carolina to 14-0, finishing the season with 146 points and breaking John Kasay’s team scoring record. Gano represented the Panthers in Super Bowl 50 against the Denver Broncos, converting one field goal and one extra point in a 24-10 loss.
His first Pro Bowl selection came in 2017 as an injury replacement for Greg Zuerlein. In the 2017 Wild Card playoff, he missed an early 25-yard attempt but went on to make four field goals, including a 58-yarder that tied Pete Stoyanovich for the longest postseason field goal in NFL history. On March 6, 2018, Gano signed a four-year, $17 million extension, and on October 7, 2018, he drilled a 63-yard game-winning field goal as time expired against the Giants. That kick tied the non-altitude-assisted field goal record set by Tom Dempsey in 1970 and matched by David Akers in 2012, earning him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week and NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for October. A groin injury ended his 2019 season in August of that year, and he was released on July 30, 2020.
New York Giants Era (2020-Present)
Gano signed with the New York Giants on August 19, 2020. In Week 5 of his first season, he set a Giants franchise record by converting three field goals of 50 or more yards (50, 54, and 55 yards) at Dallas. On November 15, 2020, he signed a three-year, $14 million contract extension through 2023, and was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his Week 9 performance against the Washington Football Team. He finished 2020 converting 21 of 23 extra points and 31 of 32 field goals.
During the 2021 season, Gano converted all 17 extra point attempts and 29 of 33 field goals, though a missed 35-yard kick against the New Orleans Saints in October ended a streak of 37 consecutive field goals made. In 2022, he made 32 of 34 extra points and 29 of 32 field goals, and was again named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after converting four field goals in a Week 2 win over the Panthers.
On September 8, 2023, Gano signed a three-year contract extension with the Giants. He appeared in only ten games in 2024, converting all 15 extra point attempts and 9 of 11 field goals. A groin injury suffered in warmups before Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs landed him on injured reserve, and a later neck injury sent him back to injured reserve in November.
Driving Style and Strengths
Gano is recognized for his powerful leg, demonstrated by multiple field goals of 58 yards or longer, including his franchise-record 63-yarder. He has consistently delivered in pressure moments, with multiple walk-off game-winning kicks across his career and a 2017 postseason field goal that tied the NFL postseason record.
Notable Events and Milestones
Gano’s signature moments include the 63-yard game-winning field goal for the Panthers in 2018, the 2008 Lou Groza Award, a 2017 Pro Bowl nod, and the 2009 UFL Championship with the Las Vegas Locomotives. He is one of only two punters ever named MVP of a major college bowl game after his performance in the 2008 Champs Sports Bowl.
Graham Gano Career Wins
Graham Gano has compiled an impressive resume of clutch kicks and championships across multiple leagues. He won the first ever UFL Championship in 2009 with the Las Vegas Locomotives and has been honored multiple times as NFC Special Teams Player of the Week and Player of the Month. He is a former Pro Bowler and a Lou Groza Award winner.
NFL Highlights
Gano’s first NFL field goal came as a 46-yard kick against the Oakland Raiders on December 13, 2009. He has since connected on game-winning overtime field goals against the Green Bay Packers, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, and the New York Giants, among others. His most recent verified field goal was part of his 9 of 11 performance in the 2024 season.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the NFL, Gano won the 2009 UFL Championship with the Las Vegas Locomotives and finished that season as the league’s leading scorer. In college, he was the highest scoring kicker in America during the 2008 season and led Florida State to the 2008 Champs Sports Bowl, where he was named MVP.
Graham Gano Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Gano’s father, Mark, is a United States Navy Master Chief Petty Officer and Vietnam veteran. His mother is of Scottish descent, and his family has a long history of military service, including his great-grandfather Richard Gano and grandfather Raymond of Martinsburg, West Virginia. He is also distantly related to Stephen G. Gano, a member of the Rutgers team that played in the first-ever collegiate football game against Princeton University.
Personal Life
Graham Gano is married to Brittany Gano. The couple has five children. He is a practicing Christian and is active on social media, with public accounts on X and Instagram.
2025 Season Performance
Looking ahead to the 2025 season, Gano returns to the New York Giants under a contract extension signed in September 2023. After an injury-shortened 2024 campaign in which he appeared in ten games, his health and durability will be a key storyline for the Giants’ special teams unit.
Gano has a history of bouncing back from setbacks, including a 2019 season-ending injury with the Panthers followed by a Pro Bowl-caliber run in subsequent years. His track record for accuracy and clutch kicking, including multiple NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors, gives the Giants a reliable veteran presence at the position.
If Gano can stay healthy, the 2025 season offers him an opportunity to add to a legacy that already includes a Pro Bowl selection, a Lou Groza Award, a 63-yard franchise-record field goal, and three NFC Special Teams Player of the Month awards.