Giants captains Xavier McKinney, Andrew Thomas disagree on communication issues

Giants tackle Andrew Thomas. Credit: James Escher

By Laura Albaneselaura.albanese@newsday.com @AlbaneseLauraUpdated November 6, 2023

One of the Giants' captains thinks the team’s leaders aren’t being heard in the locker room. Another one of the Giants' captains doesn’t necessarily agree.

Responding to comments Xavier McKinney made on Sunday — the Giants safety said the team hasn’t done “a great job of letting the leaders lead and listening to the leaders and captains” — Andrew Thomas appeared to disagree.

“I would say you have to ask Xavier about that,” Thomas said Monday. “I don’t know exactly where he’s coming from or where he’s feeling that, but for me personally, I think we do a good job of just being able to communicate with the staff. Anything we need or any of our frustrations or whatever, any questions we have, I feel like they are pretty open.”

McKinney’s comments, made postgame in Las Vegas and reported by ESPN, indicate a possible issue with communication — exacerbated, no doubt, by what’s been a disastrous season.

“It was little things," McKinney said, according to ESPN. "It was one of those things where you have some of your leaders, captains from a defensive standpoint, trying to switch things up. And just not really being heard.”

Brian Daboll said nothing has changed, and that he’s pleased with how his leaders work together.

“We do the same thing every week since we've gotten here,” Daboll said Monday. “We have good communication. We meet every week. Good talks, go through situations, things around the building. So, very comfortable with the leadership that we have, how we communicate with them and how they communicate with us.”

Thomas added that adversity, including Daniel Jones’ season-ending ACL injury, will give them another reason to build cohesion.

“Now we’ve got DJ’s injury, those types of things that bring us together because we want to play for one another, play for the guys that are hurt," he said. "Especially the offensive line group. I think we are used to doing that because that’s just how our position is. We have to look out for each other. One guy goes down, it’s the next-man mentality. So I think we’ll do a good job of doing that.”

Thomas OK

Thomas, who played every snap Sunday after sitting out since Week 1 with a hamstring injury, said he didn’t feel any ill effects from the workload. “I knew I was going to play, I want to say it was after Friday’s practice, so Saturday morning was when I knew,” Thomas said. “Then, coming out of the game, I feel good today. Moving around pretty good, I did my lift when we got back, so I’m feeling pretty good.”