Giants news: John Harbaugh officially names the winner of NY's kicker competition
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The competition for the New York Giants’ placekicker job has officially come to an end. Head coach John Harbaugh confirmed following the preseason finale that rookie kicker Dominic Zvada has won the starting role over returning veteran Ben Sauls.
Zvada put an impressive exclamation point on the battle during Friday night’s 23-6 victory over the rival New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Given full handling of the kicking duties for the night, the former Michigan standout delivered a flawless performance. He went a perfect 3-for-3 on field goal attempts, connecting from 23, 46, and a booming 53 yards out, while also converting both of his extra point tries.
The head-to-head battle had been tight throughout training camp, but Zvada’s consistent leg strength and poise during live action ultimately tipped the scales in his favor. Ben Sauls, who spent time on the roster previously and made all eight of his field goal attempts in 2025, put up a strong fight, but Zvada’s high ceiling and big-time distance capabilities proved too enticing for the coaching staff to pass up.
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For Harbaugh, who built his career on special teams coaching before launching his storied head coaching tenure, finding stability at the kicker position was a top priority entering the 2026 season. Zvada’s command during the exhibition phase made the decision clear as final cuts approach.
With the preseason officially wrapped up, the Giants move into Week 1 with absolute clarity on their special teams unit. Zvada gets the nod to handle the high-pressure scoring duties, bringing a powerful leg and newfound momentum into his inaugural professional campaign.
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