With frustration mounting, New York Giants right tackle Evan Neal took misdirected aim earlier this week, ripping into Big Blue fans as fair-weather “sheep.”
“Why would a lion concern himself with the opinion of a sheep?” Neal told NJ Advance Media. “The person that’s commenting on my performance, what does he do? Flip hot dogs and hamburgers somewhere?
Buy Giants Tickets“That just further shows that people are fair-weather. A lot of fans are bandwagoners. I mean, I get it: They want to see us perform well. And I respect all of that. But no one wants us to perform well more than we do. And how can you say you’re really a fan when we’re out there battling our (expletive) off — and the game wasn’t going well — but the best you can do is boo your home team? So how much of a fan are you, really?”
Almost immediately, Neal released a statement apologizing to the fans and admitting that what he had done and said was wrong.
“I am wrong for lashing out at the fans who are just as passionate and frustrated as I am,” Neal wrote. “I let my frustrations in my play and desire to win get the best of me. I had no right to make light of anyone’s job and I deeply regret the things I said.
“We are working day in and day out to grow as a team and this was an unnecessary distraction. I apologize.”
On Thursday following the team’s second practice of the week, Neal subjected himself to the firing squad and stood before the team’s beat pool to once again answer for himself.
Genuine regret
“I’m remorseful and I definitely could’ve used a better choice of words. Coming from humble beginnings myself, I never want to belittle anyone. Regardless of their financial status or their occupation. I really just want to apologize for what I said,” Neal said.
“I’m sure nothing is going to happen overnight. Just got to continue to make the right choices moving forward.”
Called into Brian Daboll's office
Shortly after Neal disparaged the fans, he was called into the office of head coach Brian Daboll. But by then, the 23-year-old had already recognized the error of his ways.
“I think that Evan made a statement. We spoke,” Daboll told reporters on Thursday. “I know he was very remorseful, regretful for the comment that he made. And we’re moving on.”
Daboll has made it clear since his arrival that Giants fans are a part of the team and he prefers for them to be engaged positively. He wouldn’t say whether or not Neal had been fined for attacking them.
Meanwhile, offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said the best way to flip the script after the apology is to start playing better.
“I think Evan came out with a statement today and obviously he’s remorseful about it,” Kafka said. “But I think as a group, as an offense, we’re all working, looking to improve and give something our offense, our organization, the fans something to be proud of.”
Never take on the fans
Shortly after Neal’s initial remarks, several retired Giants, including Super Bowl XLII hero David Tyree, chimed in and warned that taking on the fans is a huge mistake.
Young Simba has to learn the laws of the concrete jungle 🤦🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️‼️ pic.twitter.com/hQeN7NYLlq
— David Tyree (@TyreeNation) October 5, 2023
Running back Saquon Barkley agreed with Tyree’s sentiment and then offered his own two cents.
“I think you’ve got to applaud him for owning up to his mistakes and taking accountability for what he said and apologizing,” Barkley said. “The advice I would give to him, and any other teammate is never pick a battle with the fans. You’re never going to win that one. They’ve been here before us and some of them will be here after us, and that’s just the truth.”
Still, Barkley added, he can understand Neal’s frustration outside of some of the disparaging remarks.
“Do I think what he said was wrong? I think he could have used his words differently,” Barkley said. “But in some cases, he’s right, knowing that you’re getting booed and this. Basically, how I took it outside of the hamburgers and stuff like, he definitely could have chosen his words differently there, but at the end of the day, we’re all we’ve got.
“We’ve got to do better on the football field, we’ve got to perform better because at the end of the day it’s an entertainment business and we’ve got to put a product out there for fans to be happy about. But when they’re booing and everyone in the media is saying this and saying this about you, it’s like, we’re all we got. That’s the reality of it.”
Veteran sticks up for the fans
Tight end Darren Waller has seen struggle in his life and Neal’s comments took him by surprise. He believes his teammate is genuine in his regret and remorse, but Waller recognizes that disparaging hard-working people is never the right move.
“I think Evan’s heart is in the right place,” Waller said. “We could all look at the situation and realize that the words that he may have chosen at the moment weren’t the best. There are people who flip burgers and who are leaders in their families, trying to get their life on track, whatever their situation may be, there are good people doing that.”
However, like Barkley, Waller also understands the frustration of being booed by the very same people you are dedicating your life to entertain.
“After the start to a season like this, you’re frustrated, you feel a little vulnerable, you feel a little (expletive) off,” Waller added. “It may sting a little bit when people who may not know the grind, day-to-day, the work that you put in, they’re more critical and they’re trying to cut you down. So, I feel like he was operating from that place, not necessarily trying to put anyone down.”
Neal did initially put people down and that’s the problem. But on the exact opposite end of that spectrum, he owned his words, apologized and then stood front and center to face the consequences. He also addressed the entire team on Thursday morning and offered his apologies to them, as well.
Human error
Ultimately, Neal says he’d like fans to know he’s just a human. And like us, he’s an imperfect one.
“I want the fans to know that I’m a human like everyone else. If you ask anyone that’s ever been around me, they always speak highly of me. Nobody’s perfect, including myself. I just want to apologize again for the things that I said yesterday, because I know it’s unacceptable, and I just could have used a better choice of words,” Neal said.
Sage veteran advice
Veteran offensive lineman Justin Pugh, who the team signed to the practice squad earlier this week, has been in Neal’s shoes before. He knows all too well what it’s like to have the hometown fans boo you.
“I’ve been in that boat,” Pugh said, via the New York Daily News. “I’ve wanted to say those things.
“But I also realize the ecosystem we play in. We need the fans. We need the support. I urge the fans to keep supporting us. We’re gonna continue to work hard. We all realize at the end of the day if we don’t do our job, we won’t be here. We’re gonna fight for the fans and give them something to cheer about. Because we realize without them, this thing doesn’t go.”
Lesson learned
In the end, Neal says, he will think more before he speaks.
“If anything, I’ll be quicker to hear and slower to speak.”
Many fans won’t agree, but it’s time to move on. Neal made a mistake, he owned it, he apologized and he accepted all the heat that came along with it.
None of us are perfect and we all make mistakes.
