Giants' Graham Gano: Career Was Jeopardized in 2018 by Panthers' Injury Misdiagnosis

New York Giants (and ex-Carolina Panthers) kicker Graham Gano told Dan Duggan of The Athletic that Panthers doctors and trainers misdiagnosed an injury that cost him the entire 2019 season.

Gano told Duggan he fractured his femur just above his left knee. However, the 34-year-old said that Panthers medical staffers initially said he had suffered less severe injuries.

"I was told initially it was tendinitis and a bone bruise and it was actually a lot more than that, which we knew for a while," Gano said. "I was treating it and I came back and had the same injury—actually worse than before. It was a mess. It’s frustrating. But at the same time I try to look at things positively. If that wouldn’t have happened, I wouldn’t be here."

Gano kicked one game on the injured leg in 2018 before going on injured reserve and missing the final four games of the season.

Heading into 2019, Gano said he was told the same story about his injury.

"I went into training camp the next year, they were telling me it was fine," Gano said. "I reinjured it. They were telling me it was still fine. Obviously, it was not. So I had the surgery, and it went from them telling me there was nothing wrong with my leg to I need a major surgery. So that was a quick flip."

Per Duggan, Gano underwent surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan and missed the entire 2019 season. Carolina released Gano in July 2020, and he signed with the Giants one month later.

Gano has been excellent for Big Blue, knocking home 31-of-32 field goals in 2020 and another 12-of-14 this year.

His Giants accolades include a 48-yarder with 31 seconds remaining in Week 4 against the New Orleans Saints, which helped New York eventually earn a 27-21 overtime win. He's also thrived from long range by making 9-of-11 field goals from 50 yards or longer since 2020.

Gano has been in the NFL since 2009, which kickstarted a three-year stint as the Washington Football Team's kicker. He joined the Panthers in 2012.

The ex-Florida State star will face Carolina on Sunday when the Giants host the Panthers at 1 p.m. ET from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.