New York Giants champion Justin Tuck is diggin’ Danny Dimes and also reflects on Eli Manning’s legacy at the Tom Coughlin Gala.
Justin Tuck is a two-time Super Bowl Champion and New York sports legend. He spent the first nine seasons of his NFL career being coached by legendary New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin.
Therefore, it’s no surprise Tuck was in attendance for Coughlin’s Annual Foundation Gala in NYC to support the man who gave him his NFL start.
“If I’m in town when this happens, I’ll be here every year… coach Coughlin as a coach and man is a model of consistency.”
Tuck and Coughlin were brilliant together. With Coughlin as his head coach, Tuck won two Super Bowl titles, helping lead the defense over Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and the Patriots. They held Brady to just 31 points in two Super Sundays.
“He was a father figure… I’m not the man I am today standing here today without a lot of help from him.”
The Patriots were enormous favorites going into Super Bowl 42, having gone undefeated 18-0 (setting an NFL record for regular-season wins) as well as defeating the Giants in both the preseason (27-20) and regular-season finale (38-35).
Brady threw for a then NFL record 50 touchdown passes, with 23 going to star wide receiver Randy Moss (also an NFL record).
With the Giants down 14-10, Manning led the Giants on the game-winning drive. Avoiding the sack on the iconic David Tyree catch and then throwing it to Plaxico Burress in the back left corner of the end zone for the game-winning score.
“It’s a football game. We just tried not to make it bigger than that. We didn’t make the moment bigger than it was. There wasn’t pressure. We probably don’t win that game 9 of 10, but that night, we played better football.”
Much debate has been made about whether Manning deserves a place in Canton, Ohio when he officially hangs up the cleats. Despite his two Super Bowls, Manning for much of his career statistically has been a subpar quarterback.
Tuch takes a simple approach to the debate.
“First ballot Hall of Famer.”
He went on.
“I dare you to find someone who’s done it the right way as Eli has for 16 years. In this city. Everyone knows what I mean when I say that. This place can chew you up and spit you out. To play here and to win here on the biggest stage and do it the right way… if I’m an owner of a team and I get to have Eli Manning for 16 years, I’ll take that bet every day all day.”
Manning was benched for Daniel Jones before their Week 3 game versus the Tampa Bay buccaneers. Jones is 2-0 as an NFL starter. He’s the first Giants rookie QB to start 2-0 since Phil Simms in 1979. Danny Kanell won his first two games as a starter in 1997 (second season).
In those two games, Jones has completed 46 of 67 passes (68.7%) for 561 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. That’s the highest total yardage by a Giants quarterbacks who began their career in the Super Bowl era, outperforming Danny Kanell’s 418 yards in 1997.
Jones’ 68.7 completion percentage is the highest by a Giants quarterback in his first two starts in the Super Bowl era.
“He proved why the Giants were so excited to get him at 6. It’s only one game but he showed a lot of moxy. A lot of poise. (The) kid can throw the ball. Excited about what the future holds for this team.”
Besides his strong play and running ability, Jones’s nickname has been taking fans and media by storm.
Danny Dimes? Danny Darts? Duke of Durham? Prince Jones?
“His mom calls him Daniel so I’ll call him Daniel.”
To be honest with you, as long as the Giants keep winning football games, you can call him Danny “Savages in the Box” Jones and I wouldn’t care.
