Giants' Kayvon Thibodeaux continues to excel, and shows no signs of slowing down
Kayvon Thibodeaux #5 of the Giants reacts after a defensive play against the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium on Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. Credit: Jim McIsaac
America could not take its eyes off Tommy DeVito during his prime-time coming-out party against the Packers on Monday night.
But when DeVito was on the sideline, one of his Giants teammates was making a dramatic impression of his own on defense.
Kayvon Thibodeaux seemed to be all over the field in helping the Giants beat the Packers, 24-22.
The second-year edge rusher had a half-sack, increasing his total this season to 11.5, forced a fumble and had a pass defense.
It was the sort of thing the Giants were counting on when they used the fifth pick in the 2022 draft on Thibodeaux, whose first 1½ seasons were promising but uneven. Now he is on a roll.
“That guy has no ceiling,” defensive coordinator Wink Martindale said before practice on Thursday. “The reason why he doesn’t have a ceiling is because he doesn’t allow himself to have a ceiling.”
Martindale praised Thibodeaux’s work ethic, especially his studies with outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins.
“He’s leading the defense,” Martindale said. “He’s a vocal leader out there. Like I already said, it’s crazy, because the guy is only 22 years old. [He turns 23 on Friday.]
“He’s becoming that football savant in the NFL where he sees things before they happen. He knows what’s coming.”
Thibodeaux apparently is good at seeing several moves ahead in pursuits other than football. Saquon Barkley said Thibodeaux regularly beats him in chess.
“The guy’s a finisher at everything he does,” Martindale said. “So whatever his challenge that he gives himself or we give him, he accepts it, and he attacks it.”
After practice, Thibodeaux playfully declined to comment on whatever quotable praise Martindale heaped on him this week.
“I love Wink,” Thibodeaux said. “Wink always has great things to say about me.”
OK, so what does Thibodeaux have to say about himself?
“It’s a blessing, and I’m happy things are clicking even more,” he said. “I’m getting the numbers and the stats, and hopefully we start to continue to get the wins. But yeah, I think I’ve been playing good ball.”
Thibodeaux said that after wearing down late last season, he worked on better conditioning to avoid that this season. He also added weight to help him keep his power deep into autumn.
“I feel stronger,” he said. “I feel good. We’re in Week 15 of the season. It feels great.”
Thibodeaux said Monday night’s workload did take a toll, though. “It hurt,” he said. “When your body hurts after a game, you know you had an impact. It felt good, and I was happy to help the team get a win.”
Thibodeaux now has six sacks in the five games since being at the center of a media controversy when WFAN’s midday co-hosts critiqued him and got into a disagreement over him with Giants radio analyst Carl Banks, who sought to defend him. But there have been plenty of other doubters.
On Wednesday, Thibodeaux posted on “X,” writing, “Thanks for all the recognition but I’m not a victim and “prove people wrong” narratives are old. I’m playing good football and constantly getting better. Let’s stop hanging on to old head lines.”
Asked on Thursday what moved him to post that, Thibodeaux said, “The main point I was trying to make is, just create new stories. We’re a team that’s fighting back, but I’ve been playing good football. I think that’s the only story there is to it. I’m not playing good ball because people wrote negative things about me. I’m not playing good ball because I’m trying to prove everybody wrong.
“This is what I do for a living. I’m happy to do it. I’m proud to do it. I think that’s why I’m playing well, because I take pride in what I do, and I put the work in.”
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
