Graham Gano
A placekicker with ice in his veins, known for drilling clutch, long-distance field goals and authoring one of the NFL's most dramatic game-winners.
Born 1987 (age 39)·Scottish-American football player·Birthday: April 9·Millennials
Biography
Graham Gano's path to NFL stability was anything but straight. After a standout career at Florida State, where he won the Lou Groza Award as the nation's top kicker, he went undrafted and bounced around practice squads and the short-lived UFL. His breakthrough came with the Washington Redskins in 2012, but it was with the Carolina Panthers where he truly found a home and built his reputation. In Charlotte, Gano became synonymous with reliability in high-pressure moments. His career is punctuated by long bombs, including a 63-yard franchise record for the Panthers, but no kick defines him more than the 63-yard game-winner as time expired against the New York Giants in 2018—a moment of pure drama that cemented his legacy as a clutch performer. Later in his career with the New York Giants, he continued to deliver under pressure, proving that his powerful leg and unflappable demeanor only improved with age.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Graham was born in 1987, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Graham Was Born
The biggest hits of 1987
#1 Movie
Three Men and a Baby
Best Picture
The Last Emperor
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Graham's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1987Born
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1992Started school
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2000Became a teenager
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Could drive
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2005Could vote
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Turned 21
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2017Turned 30
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 39 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Set the Carolina Panthers franchise record with a 63-yard field goal against the New York Giants in 2018, which also served as the game-winning score.
- Won the Lou Groza Award in 2008 as the best placekicker in American college football while at Florida State University.
- Led the NFL in field goal percentage in 2020, successfully converting 96.9% of his attempts (31 of 32).
- Earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2020, recognizing his status as one of the league's most accurate and reliable kickers.
Did You Know?
He was born in Scotland and lived there until age six, when his family moved to the United States.
In high school, he was not only a kicker but also a standout punter and played soccer.
He and his wife, Britney, have three children, and one of his sons is named Captain.
His game-winning 63-yard kick in 2018 is tied for the second-longest walk-off field goal in NFL history.
“You just try to make it like any other kick. The situation is what it is, but you have to treat it the same.”
