The New York Giants have made a decisive move to address their special teams woes by signing veteran kicker Jason Sanders to a one-year contract, a decision that’s already stirring plenty of conversation among fans and league insiders alike. The deal, reported on March 10, 2026, comes on the heels of Sanders’ release from the Miami Dolphins just four days earlier, and it signals a clear intent by the Giants to bring stability to a position that has been plagued by inconsistency and injuries in recent seasons.
Sanders, who turns 31 later this year, arrives in New York with a reputation for both reliability and resilience. Drafted by the Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft (No. 229 overall) after a collegiate career at New Mexico, Sanders quickly won the starting job in Miami over Greg Joseph and never looked back—at least until a hip injury sidelined him for the entire 2025 campaign. Up to that point, he had appeared in 116 consecutive games, never missing a contest due to injury, and had become one of the most dependable legs in the league.
Giants fans are hoping Sanders brings some much-needed consistency to a kicking unit that struggled mightily last season. The 2025 Giants posted the worst extra-point percentage (XP%) in the NFL at 87.8%, and while their field goal percentage (88.5%) ranked 11th, the team attempted just 26 field goals all year—the second-lowest total in the league. The revolving door at kicker saw four different players—Graham Gano, Younghoe Koo, Ben Sauls, and Jude McAtamney—take the field, each with varying degrees of success. It’s no wonder the franchise is seeking a steady hand (or foot) for 2026.
Sanders’ career numbers are impressive and speak to his potential to be that stabilizing force. Over seven active seasons with Miami, he converted 187 of 221 field goal attempts (84.6%) and 259 of 268 extra points (96.6%). He’s especially reliable from short range, having missed only four field goals from inside 40 yards since entering the league. His leg strength is also notable—Sanders is 33 of 48 (68.8%) on attempts from beyond 50 yards, with a career long of 57 yards, achieved twice (in 2023 and 2024). He’s also handled 574 career kickoffs, boasting a 74.4% touchback rate and an average kickoff distance of 63 yards.
Perhaps the highlight of Sanders’ career came in 2020, when he earned First-Team All-Pro honors after converting a career-best 92.3% of his field goal attempts and going a perfect 100% on extra points. That season, he finished as the league’s co-leader in scoring, tying with Younghoe Koo and Daniel Carlson. Only Olindo Mare, a Dolphins legend in his own right, has made more field goals in franchise history, though Sanders’ accuracy (84.6%) surpasses Mare’s (80.9%).
Sanders’ 2024 campaign was another standout, as he went 37-for-41 on field goals, ranking ninth in the NFL with a 90.2% make rate, and hit 12 of 14 from beyond 50 yards. Unfortunately, a hip injury suffered during the 2025 preseason derailed his momentum. The Dolphins placed him on injured reserve, and despite some late-season optimism about a possible return to practice, Sanders didn’t play a single snap. Miami ultimately moved on, turning to Riley Patterson in 2025 and signing Zane Gonzalez for 2026.
Now, Sanders gets a fresh start with a Giants organization eager to put its special teams nightmares behind it. But the job isn’t simply his for the taking. New head coach John Harbaugh, known for his special teams expertise, has made it clear that competition will be fierce. Ben Sauls, who impressed by making all eight field goal attempts and all seven extra points in three games at the end of last season, remains on the roster and is signed through 2026. Sauls, a left-footed kicker from the University of Pittsburgh, showed poise under pressure and could push Sanders in training camp.
Veteran Graham Gano, a fixture in New York’s kicking game in recent years, is expected to be released as a result of the Sanders signing—a move that would save the Giants $4.5 million in salary cap space, with $1.25 million in dead money. Gano spent much of last season on injured reserve, the second stint due to a neck injury that required season-ending surgery, which further underscored the team’s need for a healthy, reliable kicker.
While Sanders’ track record is impressive, there are still questions to be answered. Can he return to his pre-injury form, especially after missing an entire season with a hip issue—a particularly concerning injury for a placekicker? According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, "Sanders returned to practice at the very end of the 2025 season, which suggests he should be back at full health a few months later." Still, the Giants will want to see him prove it on the field before handing him the keys to the kicking game.
Sanders’ contract with Miami was no small commitment either. In 2021, the Dolphins rewarded him with a five-year, $22 million extension, a testament to his value at the time. Now, on a one-year prove-it deal with New York, Sanders has the opportunity to show he still belongs among the NFL’s elite kickers. The Giants’ faith in him is clear, but the pressure will be on both Sanders and Sauls to deliver in training camp and preseason action.
Looking at the broader NFL landscape, the Giants’ decision to sign Sanders is part of a larger trend this offseason, with several notable veteran kickers—including Daniel Carlson, Matt Prater, and Nick Folk—changing teams. The Giants’ hope is that Sanders, with his combination of experience, leg strength, and past accuracy, can provide a marked upgrade over last year’s patchwork approach.
As the 2026 season approaches, all eyes will be on the kicking competition at MetLife Stadium. Will Sanders’ right leg help the Giants finally solve their special teams puzzle, or will Ben Sauls’ late-season heroics earn him the job? One thing’s for sure: after a year of uncertainty, New York’s kicking game is about to get a whole lot more interesting.
With Sanders and Sauls set to battle it out, and the cap-saving release of Graham Gano looming, the Giants are signaling a new era for their special teams. Whether Sanders can recapture his All-Pro form or if Sauls continues his perfect streak, Giants fans can expect a fiercely contested and closely watched kicking competition in the months ahead.