Silence your smartphones and save your games if you’re a New York Giants rookie, per Eli Manning’s warning earlier this week.
The youngest Manning brother has officially become the old man in the New York Giants‘ locker room.
The Giants welcome young newcomers this weekend, as rookie minicamp begins on Friday afternoon. Modern technology has worked wonders for youngsters and veterans alike on NFL sidelines, as instant replay reviews and Microsoft Surface tablets are now Sunday staples. But it has likewise given rise to all kinds of new distractions, as smartphone apps and video games are more tempting than ever.
Quarterback Eli Manning, 37, has never been one to give in to distractions, and he’s going to make sure his new teammates are focused on football, not Fortnite. According to Tashara Jones of Page Six, Manning. speaking at BTIG Charity Day on Tuesday, made it clear that devotion to screens won’t be tolerated.
“We want to see them working hard and what is their commitment,” Manning said, one of many celebrity guests at the event. “I’ll be watching to see if they’re on their phones. And are they playing video games at night, or are they in their playbooks? You want to see the guys that are trying to learn the key factors. We just focus on who’s trying to do their job.”
While video games are a staple in professional sports locker rooms, there have been certain cases of pixel-induced panics. Earlier this week in baseball, Boston Red Sox starter David Price missed a start against the New York Yankees due to carpal tunnel syndrome, and the Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy theorized the ailment may have been connected to Price’s video game habits.
Last offseason, incoming Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott banned video games, as well as the team pool table, from the locker room. Perhaps more dedicated to their craft, Buffalo responded by clinching their first playoff berth since the 1999-2000 season.
Rookie minicamp, set to be held on Friday and Saturday, will be held at Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
