Mark Herzlich getting work in at tight end for Giants
Jonathan Casillas #54 and Mark Herzlich #94 of the New York Giants celebrate after a stop against the Dallas Cowboys late in the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2015 in East Rutherford, N.J. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Mark Herzlich played the role of Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski in Giants practices last week. He nearly got a chance to do it in the game as well.
The Giants sent the veteran linebacker onto the field with the offense for a snap at the end of the first half when they were first-and-goal at the 1.
"We had him on the goal line and he ran a really good route," tight ends coach Kevin M. Gilbride said. "If Eli had some time, he probably would've gotten a touchdown."
The Giants started using Herzlich as a tight end when their numbers at the position began to deplete. They lost Daniel Fells to a MRSA infection that put him on IR and have been without Larry Donnell the last few weeks.
"He's been working in practices as a tight end for the last few weeks," Gilbride said. "We got him based on our situation with the guys that have gone down. You need to have a contingency plan."
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.
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