Newly acquired New York Giants special teams weapon Nate Ebner addresses his strong relationship with head coach Joe Judge.
Nate Ebner will be on a new team in a new city in 2020. But, he’ll certainly be with a familiar face. After having played with the New England Patriots from 2012-19, Ebner agreed to a one-year deal with the New York Giants in March. The 31-year-old will be reuniting with head coach Joe Judge, a prior special teams assistant/coordinator he played for during his entire tenure in Foxborough.
This week, Ebner took part in a conference call with Giants play-by-play announcer Bob Papa and the rest of the media. Within the conversation, Ebner described his relationship with Judge and how it ultimately played into him coming to East Rutherford.
Nate Ebner is next up on a conference call with the media. He's asked about his experience with Joe Judge in New England. "Joe works extremely hard. I'm probably going to say that a couple more times."
— Dan Salomone (@Dan_Salomone) March 31, 2020
Ebner said he's not going to act like Judge didn't have a part in him coming to the Giants. "We do have a relationship … but outside of that it's a great organization."
— Dan Salomone (@Dan_Salomone) March 31, 2020
Many questioned the hire of Judge back in January, as he’s never had any head-coaching experience prior to the job with Big Blue. But plenty of the doubters were silenced when Judge took to the podium in his introductory press conference to discuss his dedication to building a culture through fundamentals and the correct work ethic.
The players certainly have confidence in their new head coach. Ebner is no exception, as he’s ready to give his all for the newly-hired staff leader.
Ebner said he's going to let Joe Judge speak for himself on his message and culture. "I'm going to do as best I can to do it to the best of my ability."
— Dan Salomone (@Dan_Salomone) March 31, 2020
Ebner is technically a safety but has spent the majority of his career on special teams. This past year, he was on the field for 70% of the Patriots’ special teams snaps (318) and none of their defensive snaps. With that, he racked up eight combined tackles (seven solo) in 14 games.
Judge surely believes in Ebner both on and off the field. Therefore, expect the veteran to reside in a massive special teams role on this 2020 Giants squad.
