Giants’ Chris Horton Has High Praise for Rookie Kicker Dominic Zvada

As the late, great James Brown felt the need to “give the drummer some,” New York Giants assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Chris Horton took great pride in “giving the kicker some” heading into Week 3.

Despite Big Blue’s less-than-favorable fortunes lately, rookie kicker Dominic Zvada has not only caught Horton’s attention but also earned his praise — offering one of the few metaphorical lights still burning brightly on the blue side of East Rutherford.

In two games this season, the undrafted rookie has connected on all four extra-point attempts and gone 2-for-2 on field goals.

In fact, Zvada’s 52-yarder in the third quarter of New York’s 28-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2 was the third-longest kick made by a rookie in team history (Ali Haji-Sheikh made a pair of 56-yard field goals in 1983)

Unsurprisingly, Horton was effusive in his praise of the Michigan product when speaking with reporters earlier this week.

“It was very encouraging,” Horton said. “From the day we got him here, we always believed in him, and just needed to get him out there to get him those opportunities … We know who he is; he knows who he is. And so, it was very encouraging to get him out there in a game setting and let him kick that 52-yard field goal.”

Consistency is ‘Key’ for Dominic Zvada

Aug 22, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; New York Giants kicker Dominic Zvada (34) celebrates with tight end Chris Manhertz (85) after scoring a field goal against the Miami Dolphins during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Zvada joined the Giants as an undrafted free agent in late April. Having earned both First-Team All-America honors and Big Ten Kicker of the Year with Michigan in 2024, Zvada is no stranger to making kicks in high-pressure situations.

After winning an intriguing training camp battle against veteran Ben Sauls, coach John Harbaugh named the 22-year-old New York’s kicker in late August.

While Zvada’s NFL career has just begun, his confidence and poise have already made Giants fans a bit more optimistic about their kicking game than they have in quite some time.

If called upon to make a clutch kick in potentially harsh weather conditions at MetLife Stadium in Week 3 against the Tennessee Titans, Horton appears confident that his kicker is more than capable of success — provided he remains consistent.

“What I'm looking for is him coming out weekly and just going through the process and just doing what he's been doing,” Horton said.

“Again, he does not lack confidence. So, I think when you get young guys, sometimes they have to go out there, and they have to do it. And they have to do it enough for them to be like, you know what, ‘I belong.’

“And he belongs. He's just got to go out there and continue to be consistent,” he added. “Consistency is everything that is a part of his game, and as long as he's consistent and he plays, he continues to do the things that he needs to do, starting in practice, and then carrying those things over to the game, he's going to be fine.”

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