New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh publicly backed rookie kicker Dominic Zvada. This comes following Thursday night’s 24-21 divisional loss to the Washington Commanders.
Zvada missed a crucial 33-yard field goal in the first quarter. The miss left three points off the board in a contest ultimately decided by a single field goal. According to The Athletic‘s Dan Duggan, Harbaugh refused to panic. “As soon as a guy doesn’t make a play, you can’t start firing people left and right—especially your kicker who’s a rookie,” Harbaugh said.
John Harbaugh revealed his thoughts on JJ McCarthy’s performance as the NY Giants lost to the Commanders in Week 10 of the 2026 NFL season. Much like his defense of his young quarterback, Harbaugh preached organizational patience while insisting Zvada will soon regain his early-season accuracy.
Zvada’s hot start to the season seems like a distant memory
Zvada captivated New York early in the 2026 NFL season by drilling his first nine consecutive field goal attempts, including six kicks from at least 50 yards. However, the former Michigan standout has since cooled off dramatically, converting just eight of his last 14 field goal tries.
Dominic Zvada misses a 33-yarder and John Harbaugh looks on in disappointment pic.twitter.com/nC0zKf3trH
— Talkin’ Giants (@TalkinGiants) November 13, 2026
Thursday’s 33-yard shank marked his first miss inside 40 yards all year. Against the Commanders, he is now just 2-for-6 across two meetings. Even more telling, Harbaugh opted to punt from Washington’s 37-yard line on the opening drive rather than let Zvada attempt a 55-yarder in the rain.
Should the NY Giants look for a new kicker?
Cutting Zvada outright would be an overreaction given his booming leg talent and Harbaugh’s clear belief in his long-term upside. Sitting at 5-3-1 in a tightly contested NFC East race leaves New York with minimal margin for error in close games.
Bringing in a reliable veteran kicker to compete with Zvada in practice represents a low-risk insurance policy for the Giants. Adding legitimate competition can sharpen Zvada’s focus without undermining Harbaugh’s commitment to developing his young specialist.
Key takeaways
- John Harbaugh publicly backed rookie kicker Dominic Zvada following the Giants’ 24-21 loss to Washington.
- Dominic Zvada missed a crucial 33-yard field goal in the first quarter against Washington.
- Dominic Zvada has converted just eight of his last 14 field goal tries this season.
