Super Bowl LII: Ex-Giants WR Victor Cruz is rooting for the Eagles

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Victor Cruz has the same reaction that most Giants fans have when they contemplate the Super Bowl LII matchup between the Patriots and the Eagles.

“I wish no one could win,” the former Giants wide receiver said on Wednesday. “I wish this could be the first Super Bowl where no one wins and it ends in some weird tie.”

The Eagles, of course, are NFC East rivals. The Patriots, of course, are the team the Giants faced in their last two Super Bowls.

The game, sadly for Cruz and New York, will not end in a tie. So when pushed, Cruz had to concede he will be pulling for one of the teams to win.

“Obviously I have a ton of respect for both teams,” he said. “I’ve had my fair share of battles with the Eagles and their fans and the ones with the Patriots have been well-documented. But if I had to pick one, I’d go with the Eagles.”

The Eagles? The Eagles?

“I think every city should experience what a Super Bowl win feels like,” he said. “As much as I dislike the Philadelphia Eagles, I think their city should experience that. That’s who I’m rooting for in this one.”

Many former Giants say they are rooting for the Patriots just so Big Blue can maintain exclusivity when it comes to beating Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in Super Bowls. But not Cruz.

“Obviously I’m excited for that, but I don’t want New England to get six, seven . . . I mean how many Super Bowls does Tom Brady really need?” he said. “He’s already the best to do it of all time in my opinion, he doesn’t need any more Super Bowls. Just ride off into the sunset. Let Philly get one and we’ll keep it moving.”

By Tom Rock

tom.rock@newsday.com@TomRock_Newsday

Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.