Joseph is on his third stop since the 2024 season began
Being an NFL placekicker can be a nomadic life. A missed kick at the wrong time or an inconsistent stretch can land you on the unemployment line looking for a new opportunity.
The last few weeks for Greg Joseph, signed by the New York Giants on Tuesday to replace the injured Graham Gano, have been a perfect example.
Joseph signed this offseason with the Green Bay Packers after two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. He made the initial 53-man roster, but was cut one day later. After being out of work for a couple of weeks, he signed with the Detroit Lions practice squad on Sept. 11. Now, a week later, he is preparing to kick for the Giants when they face the Cleveland Browns this Sunday.
“I think it could affect guys who don’t want the grind and all that stuff, and who don’t know what comes with the position,” Joseph said on Wednesday in the Giants’ locker room. “For me, I just take it in stride, and, man, it wasn’t fun not being on the field the first two weeks, so I definitely missed that, and I was willing to do anything to get back on that field.”
Joseph said he and his wife realized after he was released by the Packers that this “could be a little bit of a jump around type of year.”
“Luckily our relationship is strong with my wife, and our bond is strong and she’s willing to sacrifice, and I’ll always be thankful for that,” Joseph said. “So we’ll do what we can, and it’s not always going to be easy.”
Part of what isn’t easy is quickly adjusting to new surroundings and having to perform.
“I think it’s important to be where your feet are, because if you’re worried about going here or being there the last week or the next week, that can bite you in the butt,” Joseph said. “So I just try to be present where I’m at and take it literally day by day.”
The 30-year-old Joseph came into the league in 2018. He said Gano has been a “mentor” to him throughout his time in the league.
“Graham and I have a great relationship,” Joseph said. “He’s been a mentor of mine and a friend of mine since my rookie year. So any chance I can get to pick his brain, I do.”
Gano had nothing but good things to say about Joseph on Wednesday.
“Greg’s great,” Gano said. “I remember when I was in Carolina, I think he was with the Dolphins and they came to Carolina for practice. And I remember seeing him and I was like, man, you’ll play in the league for a long time. He had a very talented leg there coming out of, is it Florida Atlantic or Florida International?
“So we’ve known each other for a while. Kept in touch with him after I got injured the other day. He was one of the first texts that I got wishing me well, saying he was praying for me. And I mean, that was before he had any idea he was coming here. So, great guy. I hope he does really well.”
Joseph made 26 of 33 field goal attempts (78.8%) for Minnesota in 2022 and 24 of 30 (80.0%) in 2023. That placed him 28th in the league in accuracy both seasons. He missed six extra points in 2022, but only two last season.
“I feel like I hit balls well. You know, definitely feel like I did better on PATs than I had done in the previous year,” Joseph said. “That’s the important part for me is not focusing on that side, but always improving, you know, knowing how much better I can be, because a lot of those kicks were close.”
Joseph doesn’t know how long he will be a Giant. Whenever Gano is healthy, the job most likely goes back to him. If and when that happens, Joseph will go back to being a kicking nomad.
“Whatever’s in the plan is in the plan for me, and I’m just doing my very best to get better each day and follow it,” Joseph said.
Oddly, both Joseph and Gano have beaten the Giants with kicks of longer than 60 yards. He would love the chance to make that up to his new team.
“Absolutely, let’s do it,” he said.
The Giants can only hope to give him the opportunity.
