Earlier this week, the New York Giants suffered a significant blow as punter Jamie Gillan injured the hamstring in his kicking leg. Since then, the team has shortlisted Nolan Cooney, Pressley Harvin, Matt Haack, Lou Hedley, and Ty Zentner for practice workouts in hopes of finding Jamie’s potential replacement. According to the latest reports, however, veteran Matt Haack has since secured the final spot.
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With Giants punter Jamie Gillan listed as questionable for Sunday night’s game vs. the Bengals due to a hamstring injury, the team is signing veteran punter Matt Haack, per source.
Haack won the work out Friday with five punters and now is expected to punt in his 100th NFL game. pic.twitter.com/bu0YqCJo8c
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 12, 2024
Getting your starting punter injured just a few days before a decisive clash against the Bengals is a significant blow. With only a couple of days for a turnaround, a veteran figure who could slot in seamlessly was the need of the hour.
Thus, it’s no surprise that Matt Haack was ultimately the one to be shortlisted by the Giants.
Among the five names vying for the position, what gives Haack the edge is his experience. He has played in 99 career games so far, during which he punted 432 times for an impressive 19,242 yards. The former Colts punter also boasts a healthy yards-per-punt average of 44.5, indicating that he has the firepower in his arsenal when his team demands it.
Having started his career with the Dolphins in 2017, Haack will be playing his 100th NFL game against the Bengals.
With the Giants 2-3 in the season, this week’s battle is as crucial as it gets. Luckily for the team, the Bengals are looking hapless with a 1-4 record this season. Thus, it becomes all the more important for the Giants to not let this opportunity slip away.
Another interesting effect this signing has had on Giants fans is a sense of contentment. After the Graham Gano debacle in Week 2, head coach Brian Daboll’s decision to sign a practice squad player instead of forcing a player to play out of position is a welcome relief for them.
For context, Daboll was criticized after Gano suffered a hamstring injury during a game against the Washington Commanders. Critics believe that the team should have activated an extra kicker.
With that said, as the NFC East team appears fully prepared despite the setbacks, it seems that Daboll and his staff do not want to lose this game at any cost. Thus, we have an exciting matchup on our hands this weekend!
