The 3-8 Giants have plenty to be thankful for this Thanksgiving
Justin Pugh #67 of the New York Giants looks on after a game against the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Credit: Jim McIsaac
On this Thanksgiving, the Giants are 3-8. They’re preparing to play the 2-8 Patriots on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
A two-game winning streak would feel good to a group of players who have seen starting quarterback Daniel Jones lost for the season with a torn ACL that was repaired Wednesday.
Backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor is out with a ribcage injury.
Undrafted rookie free agent Tommy DeVito, as you’ve probably heard, is at quarterback for the Giants. He has shown moxie and toughness and is growing into the role.
But today we take a pause, a slight pause, when it comes to chronicling the Giants’ season.
On Thanksgiving Eve, we asked players in the locker room this question: What are you thankful for?
“My family always, my family and friends, for real,” said the most veteran of these Giants, Sterling Shepard. “They mean a lot to me. Been there with me through the best times, worst times, and I’m very grateful for them, and for my kids (two girls, ages 4 and 5), for sure.”
Wide receiver Jalin Hyatt is grateful to locker next to Shepard. Since he can’t get home, he’ll spend the day with Shepard’s family.
“That’ll be fun,” Hyatt said. “I’m also grateful to be in this position. Just being here with the Giants, grateful for them believing in me. I’m grateful for my coaches and teammates. This is always one of my favorite times of the year.”
Offensive lineman Justin Pugh is grateful as he and his wife, Angela, anticipate the birth of their first child at season’s end.
“I’m looking forward to meeting my baby girl,” he said.
Cornerback Darnay Holmes said he is grateful that his daughter, Nalani, will turn 1 on Tuesday.
“Outside of that, I’m just grateful for life,” he said. “I’m at a point in my life where I’m just taking each day as it comes and thanking God in advance for the great things He has in store for me.”
Linebacker Micah McFadden said he is thankful for his family, saying his father gets to “about 15, 16 games a year. I’m just thankful for their support and the constant love they always send to me.”
Rookie center John Michael Schmitz said he’s thankful for his teammates.
“When you talk about the adversity of the season and how much adversity we’ve had,” Schmitz said, “and these guys have just stuck together and battled. I’m grateful for that.”
Offensive lineman Ben Bredeson said he appreciates “the people in the [Giants] building, the unsung heros who make our lives easier. “We have a lot of support systems that help us succeed,” he said. “There are a lot of people to thank.”
Parris Campbell said he’s thankful that his entire family inspires him.
“They’re really what drives me to come to work every day and they’re the reason I play this game, Campbell said. “They guided me to where I am today, and they keep me going.”
Lawrence Cager, in his third season out of Georgia, appreciates his parents who haven’t missed a game, home or away, since college.
And for Deonte Banks, the cornerback who was the Giants’ first-round draft pick in April, there is a lot to be thankful for. He said he is thankful that general manager Joe Schoen and Daboll drafted him in April.
“I’m super-thankful for them and thankful for me being a New York Giant,” Banks said. “I’ve loved being here. I wouldn’t trade it for nothing. I’m thankful for the [veteran players] who welcomed me. There’s a good vibe, a family vibe. I love them.”
Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.
