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Days after their 27-22 win over the Green Bay Packers in London, one New York Giants player remained stuck overseas due to a reported passport issue.
Giants punter Jamie Gillan — known among fans as “The Scottish Hammer” — was still in London as of Wednesday evening, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.
“[Giants punter] Jamie Gillan remains in London following the trip over the weekend as he works through some passport issues, sources tell me and [Tom Pelissero],” Garafolo reported on Twitter. “‘The Scottish Hammer’ is expected to fly back to the U.S. on Thursday, though the team will work out punters just in case.
“The [Giants] and Gillan knew about the potential passport issues for the return flight in advance of the trip. They’re expecting him back in advance of Sunday’s game against the [Ravens].”
In a quote tweet, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network added some context to Garafolo’s original report on Gillan.
“Gillan came to the U.S. on a NATO visa with his father, and that designation never got changed to a work visa when he entered the NFL,” Pelissero reported on Twitter. “Not Gillan’s fault — just slipped through the cracks. With help from U.S. diplomats, Gillan now has a new passport and is headed home soon.”
Gillan is expected to be back in the United States on Thursday, according to a report from NorthJersey.com. He should be on the field for the Giants against the Baltimore Ravens at MetLife Stadium this Sunday.
Gillan, 25, was born in Scotland but moved to Maryland back in 2013. He played in college at Arkansas-Pine Bluff and entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Cleveland Browns before the 2019 season. After three seasons in Cleveland and a brief stint with on the Buffalo Bills practice squad, Gillan signed with the Giants and has punted well for them this year.
Jamie Gillan on Pace to Set New Career High in 2022
Through five games, Jamie Gillan is averaging 51.0 yards per punt. That would be a new career high for Gillan if he maintains that average all season. He is currently one of only five NFL punters averaging north of 50 yards per punt.
Six of Gillan’s 21 punts so far this season have been downed inside the 20-yard line (28.6 percent), while only two have traveled into the end zone for a touchback. He’s had zero punts blocked in 2022. Compare that to former Giants punter Riley Dixon, who’s already had two punts blocked with the Los Angeles Rams this year.
While Gillan has been booting the ball well, New York’s punt coverage could stand to improve. They’re giving up an average of 13.7 yards per punt return, which is the third highest average in the NFL right now.
Jamie Gillan Has Made Some Clutch Plays This Season
In addition to his career-best average, Jamie Gillan has produced some standout moments. In New York’s come-from-behind victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, Gillan hit a fourth-quarter bomb that was muffed by Tennessee’s return man and recovered by the Giants.
Late in the fourth quarter of a Week 4 win over the Chicago Bears, the same thing happened.
And although the Giants lost to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football in Week 3, Gillan made a tackle on a fourth-quarter punt return to save a touchdown and keep it a one-score game.
Gillan is a quality punter with a little bit of a clutch gene, so the Giants will be happy to have him back in America before Week 6.
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