The New York Giants opened Week 13 with a jarring and unexpected roster decision, abruptly ending their two-year experiment with kicker Jude McAtamney. The move, announced November 24 by team reporter Dan Salomone, stunned fans who had watched the young specialist develop within the organization.
In a swift midseason change, McAtamney was terminated from the practice squad, immediately replaced by 6-foot-6 international tight end Maximilian Mang, who signed through the NFL’s International Pathway Program.
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Sudden End to McAtamney’s Development Raises Bigger Questions
McAtamney’s release marks a dramatic shift in the Giants’ long-term kicker plans. Once viewed as the handpicked successor to Graham Gano, he had spent two full seasons being groomed for the eventual starting job.
Now, with just weeks left in the 2025 season, New York has cut ties without warning, leaving a glaring uncertainty at a position that has already troubled general manager Joe Schoen.
Gano’s injury history and inconsistent field goal percentage have already pushed the team toward major offseason changes. McAtamney’s sudden exit only amplifies the pressure.
Jude McAtamney
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Kicker Future Unsettled After the Abrupt Move
The only immediate option is newcomer Younghoe Koo, who has made all four of his Giants field goal attempts but missed one extra point. If he falters, the team may have to pursue yet another kicker through free agency or the draft — a clear sign that the Giants’ long-term plan has unraveled.
Jude McAtamney
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Mang’s Arrival Takes a Back Seat to the Stunning Departure
Though the 6-foot-6 Mang joins New York after beating out veteran MyCole Pruitt in a November 24 tryout, his addition is overshadowed by the abrupt end of McAtamney’s tenure. Mang bolsters an already deep tight end room featuring Theo Johnson, Daniel Bellinger, Thomas Fidone II, Zach Davidson, and Chris Manhertz.
But the real headline remains the team’s unexpected decision to move on from McAtamney, a prospect many thought would eventually rise to the starting kicker role.
