## Recent slump in focus
Lost in the difficulties of the New York Giants’ 2025 season is a noticeable three‑week downturn in performance by punter Jamie Gillan. Over this stretch, his work has alternated between strong kicks and clear misfires, with the mistakes arriving in key moments when field position was crucial for the team.
## Statistical drop-off
Over the last three games, Gillan has averaged about 40.0 yards per punt, a decline from the 44.9‑yard average he produced across the first nine games of the season. His effectiveness in pinning opponents deep has also dipped, as only two of his 15 punts inside the opposing 20‑yard line have come during this recent three‑week span.
His average hang time has fallen from over four seconds early in the season to well under 3.75 seconds in the recent stretch, further limiting coverage and field‑flipping potential. These combined changes have magnified the impact of each poor kick on the Giants’ already struggling team context.
## Example of game impact
The inconsistency became especially obvious in a game against the Detroit Lions played indoors under ideal dome conditions. In that matchup, Gillan punted three times: the first went out of bounds, the second appeared to come off the side of his foot, and the third was fair‑caught without significantly changing field position.
Earlier in the month, another key mis-hit occurred when a punt off the side of his foot traveled only 26 yards, setting up the opposing Chicago Bears just a first down away from field‑goal range, a drive that ended in points against the Giants. Taken together, these high‑leverage mistakes have contributed to unfavorable field position in close contests.
## Coaches’ view on the cause
Giants special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial publicly backed Gillan’s overall ability and mindset, emphasizing that both the staff and the player still have strong belief in his talent. He noted that specialists rarely maintain peak performance every week, and that success often comes down to how quickly they correct issues from one repetition to the next.
> “Not every specialist is going to consistently sustain success every week. It's the ability to bounce back, to re-correct after one rep, and that's something that I truly believe he knows how to do and he's done before in his career.”
Ghobrial highlighted the ball drop as a key technical factor, explaining that the way the ball falls to the punter’s foot largely determines contact quality and direction. A lowered nose, an inside drop, or other small variations can force the leg to adjust mid‑swing, leading to mishits and inconsistent outcomes even when the rest of the motion seems the same.
> “A lot of times the drop does reflect ball contact because that is the most important part for a punter being able to execute and hit a good ball. There are so many things that could happen with it, right? The nose could go down, and your foot's trying to keep it up. The drop could be inside, and your leg is reflecting the kick direction on that.”
## Path forward for Gillan
Despite the slump, Ghobrial framed each punt as an individual rep, stressing that the focus is on Gillan’s routine, his steps, and his warm‑up process to restore consistent fundamentals rather than overreacting to a short stretch of games. He expressed confidence that Gillan is “ready to attack success” and address the technical issues that have emerged recently.
> “That is an important part of correcting a punter's fundamentals, but like I said, every rep is so singular that you're really focused on just what is your routine, what are your steps to even warm up.”
### Author’s summary
Gillan’s recent slump blends subtle technical issues in his drop mechanics with heightened game‑situation pressure, turning small execution errors into field‑position swings that amplify the Giants’ broader struggles.
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Sports Illustrated — 2025-11-30