Malik Nabers has lived up to the hype. Through three weeks the New York Giants rookie wide receiver has 23 catches for 271 yards and three touchdowns. But what has been even more impressive than the head-taps and acrobatic touchdowns has been Nabers’s maturity and professionalism on and off the field.
Malik Nabers gave his teammates all the credit for the Giants’ Week 3 win
After a crushing drop on fourth down late in Week 2, the 21-year-old held his head high and took accountability, dismissing his otherwise outstanding performance on the day, lamenting that he had let his veteran teammates down.
Following the rookie’s record-breaking day against the Browns in Week 3, Nabers first praised the defense, then pointed to the toughness of his quarterback and answered questions with “we” rather than “I.”
In a market that is oddly obsessed with vilifying its young stars, Nabers continues to say and do the right things day in and day out, handling himself like a true professional.
Giants’ coaches continue to praise the rookie’s character
Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka recently spoke on the rookie’s selflessness, calling him a “team guy.” Kafka noted that Nabers is always one of the first guys to get downfield and celebrate with his teammates after they make a play. Little things like that may go unnoticed by many fans, but those small things emphasize how much a player loves his teammates.
Head coach Brian Daboll has previously spoken about Nabers’s ability to process information and quickly grasp a complex playbook. Following Sunday’s win, Daboll commended the rookie’s unselfishness:
“For him to have the awareness to knock the ball down, that plays says more to me about Malik than some of the other things,… Everyone can see the touchdowns, but the unselfish play, the smart play he made was huge.”
Wideouts are taught that jump balls are either their ball or an incompletion. Interceptions are not an option. However, many guys will not make the extra effort to rip a ball away from a defensive back. It goes to show you that Malik is bought in and playing hard for the other 10 guys on the field.
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The Giants may have found the perfect superstar for New York. An explosive, team-first competitor who is respected for the way he handles himself within the locker and represents the organization positively off the field. As he continues to gain fame, there will surely be more and more critics, but the young star seems well-equipped to handle the spotlight of the Big Apple.
Nabers will get his first opportunity to showcase himself in primetime on Thursday night in a divisional matchup with Trevon Diggs and the Dallas Cowboys.
