Deaths in family weigh heavily on Tuck

It's been a very difficult couple of months for Justin Tuck, and it has nothing to do with the injuries that have hindered him throughout the early part of the season.

Tuck had to leave the team and return home to Alabama twice to attend funerals for close family members. His grandfather Leroy Tuck died Aug. 22, and his uncle Gregory Tuck, Leroy's son, died Sept. 18.

"The thing that helped me was having the opportunity to go down there and help everybody," the Giants defensive captain said Thursday. "The thing they kept telling me was that, 'We're fine, we'll be all right. You just go keep playing football.' I get relief from being on the field and I think they get relief from seeing me play."

That only makes it harder for Tuck to deal with injuries that could keep him from playing. He said he expects to be on the field Sunday, but he's missed two practices this week. He said if he flies to Arizona with the team Saturday, he'll definitely play, regardless of what doctors decide Sunday, but he lost that battle when he traveled to Washington but wasn't allowed to play in the opener.

His injuries both occurred in games after he came back from mourning. Against the Jets, he suffered a burner in his neck that remains an issue. After being excused from practice last Friday, he played in Sunday's win over the Eagles, in which he aggravated the neck and suffered a groin injury.

"That's the frustrating thing," he said. "Normally, when you're having a hard time in your professional life, your personal life picks that up. I'm having a hard time in both right now."

The Giants know that. And they are trying to help Tuck through it. "You can tell from his mannerisms and his actions that he's had a heavy heart," defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said. "I know that he's hurting right now and he hasn't really had time to grieve.''

Fewell said he has many one-on-one conversations with Tuck, but he's increased them recently to discuss more personal matters. Running back Brandon Jacobs said he, too, has been mindful of Tuck's losses and as supportive as he can be.

"When you lose two people very close to you within a month like that, it's definitely a hard thing to try to get over," Jacobs said. "Every time I see Justin, I ask if he's OK. Just 'Hang in there, sorry to hear about your losses, just keep praying and hoping things will get better.' "

Jacobs said he's had to play through the deaths of family members and close friends. While the perception is that being on the field offers a refuge, he said it sometimes makes it more difficult.

"You can't block that out because you know that was someone who meant something to you who was originally there watching you play on Sundays, and he's not there anymore," Jacobs said.

"It's a little hard to deal with. You may be able to deal with it a little bit better during the game, because you're so focused. [But] someone who would have a text message on the phone saying, 'You did a great job, keep working hard,' all of a sudden you're not getting that anymore."

Tuck said he's grappling with those emotions. "I've had those nights where you start looking [at the ceiling] and putting things in perspective," he said. "My family was very close."

So is his football family, and if he can't play, he'll probably feel as if he is letting both down.

"Even if my grandfather and my uncle hadn't died, I absolutely hate standing on the sideline watching my team go out and play," Tuck said.

"When you know you're a big part of the success that this football team has and you're sitting over there watching, that's a burden in itself. You add in all the rest of this, there are some times where you have to step back and just say: You'll be all right in this."