Two days after he missed a 23-yard field goal that would have almost certainly clinched a win over New Orleans, Shaun Suisham was unemployed. The Redskins cut him today and signed Graham Gano, who spent this fall kicking in the UFL. The Florida State product won the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top place kicker in 2008.
He was named first team All-American by Rivals.com, Scout.com and CBS Sports.
Gano helped Las Vegas win the inaugural UFL title when he kicked a 33-yard field goal to beat Florida in overtime. For the season, he made 11 of 13 field goals. He was cut by the Baltimore Ravens this summer.
Suisham was 18 of 21 for the season, but his three misses have cost Washington a shot at two victories — Dallas and New Orleans.
“This guy has some real talent,” Redskins coach Jim Zorn said on his ESPN 980 coaches show. “He has a strong leg….Shaun has performed well and he’ll be upset. He should be. Yet there’s an accountability there. We’ll all end up being accountable for our season, no question about it.”
When asked if the confidence of teammates played a factor in the decision, Zorn said, “It probably comes into a little play. But when we get in that position and we played for that field goal the other night and we were all assured that ball was going to go through with that 23-yard field goal… yet it didn’t. It does affect all of us. We made the change.”
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