If the October 29 trade deadline didn’t cause enough emotional trouble for players on the block, losing to one of the worst teams in football doesn’t help either. The New York Giants fell to the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon 26-31, and after the game, it was clear that the locker room is close to falling apart.
Head coach Pat Shurmur was asked about rookie quarterback Daniel Jones being hit, and he shot back at a reporter, “wasn’t his fault he got f****** hit.” He quickly apologized for his unprofessional response, but the reality is, the Giants’ head coach is quickly becoming overwhelmed with frustration.
Soon after Shurmur burst out, veteran cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who has been involved in trade rumors stated:
“Tuesday’s my birthday. I don’t give a f*** what they do. I’ll just come and play football like I do every week. So whatever happens, happens.â€
When players and coaches cannot control their outbursts to the media, it takes away from the culture of the locker room and team. General manager Dave Gettleman will be upset with Shurmur for his lack of professionalism after the game, and especially for throwing the offensive line under the bus and failing to take responsibility for the lackluster play of his team.
Building a culture takes time and consistency, and the Giants are already unraveling after 1-1/2 seasons. This is concerning given they’re less than two seasons into a rebuild, and the head coach is setting a lousy example after a tough loss is unacceptable.
The New York Giants need their veterans to step up:
Jenkins stated that the team will be holding a players-only meeting this week ahead of their week nine matchup against the Dallas Cowboys at home. Desperately in need of a win, the players need to rise to the occasion and force themselves out of a funk that could result in the demise of the locker room once again.