Kicker Mason Crosby joins Giants, hoping to make most of opportunity
Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby (2) is congratulated by wide receiver Randall Cobb (18) after kicking the winning field goal during overtime in an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021. Credit: AP/Bryan Woolston
By his own admission, Mason Crosby did not have the Giants on his radar. But through circumstance, he was given an opportunity,
and he intends to take full advantage of it.
“Unfortunate how it’s kind of unfolded with the kicker position, [but I’m] happy to come in and have an opportunity to help this team win games,” he told Newsday after practice Saturday.
The Giants announced the signing of the 39-year-old Crosby on Friday. He replaces Cade York, a kicker on the practice squad who injured a quadriceps in practice earlier in the week.
Crosby follows Graham Gano (knee surgery), Randy Bullock (hamstring), punter Jamie Gillan, who kicked a field goal as an emergency replacement for Bullock last week, and York.
Crosby said he received a call from the Giants on Thursday and flew in Friday. Saturday was his first day practicing with the team, and unless something bizarre happens, it is almost a certainty that he will be kicking Monday against the Eagles.
“It was good being out there,” said Crosby, who is in his 17th season. “Great locker room. The organization seems top-notch. So [it’s] been a fairly easy transition.”
Crosby ranks 11th in NFL history with 1,918 points and fourth in postseason history with 163 points. He has made 81.4% of his regular-season field-goal attempts (395 of 485) and 97.3% of his extra points (733 of 755). In the postseason, he has made 88.6% of his field-goal attempts (31 of 35) and has not missed an extra point.
All of which made him enticing to a Giants squad that needed a kicker.
“He’s the leading point-scorer in Green Bay history,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said.
What made the Giants the right fit for Crosby? Well, the chance — slim though it may be — to help them get into the playoffs.
“I think that’s always the goal,” Crosby said.
“As long as you still have a chance and hope, you’re pushing to get there. We take this first game against Philly and go out on Christmas Day and try to get a good win there. And then you just kind of keep stacking.”
Notes & quotes: Defensive linemen Dexter Lawrence (hamstring) and A’Shawn Robinson (back) were limited participants in practice. Offensive lineman Evan Neal (ankle) and defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches (knee) did not practice.
