He was at his very best in the two biggest games of his life. Bittersweet to see these "Coughlin era" Giants - and Coughlin himself - moving into the Ring of Honor. Great group of men.
1) I'm sure it is already in the works to have him retire a Giant and it should be.
2) I think he would be a good candidate to go into coaching. He is an intelligent, well spoken player who was about as fundamentally sound as they come.
3) He should have a special place in the HOF for that facemask.
and all time great Giant and helped give me the greatest Giants memory ever with his play in SB 42. Class act and a role model for children and men both.
always seemed to be far "deeper" than his peers when you heard him talk.
One of my all-time favorites. Arguably the best DE in the game for a couple of years when healthy, injuries cost him a chance to be an All-Timer. Super Bowl Legend.
Thanks for all you've done on and off the field, Justin
Great player (last Giants jersey I purchased). Came up big in biggest games. Oh what could have been ... without some of the injuries. Seemed to be a great person. Very best wishes.
...because he deserves all the love we NYG fans have for him. Fellow Hoo Greg from LI has it right. Retire as a Giant. Ring of honor soon to follow.
Easily one of my top 3 favorite Giants of all time. especially after he caught LaDanian Tomlinson from behind in his rookie year (wearing #44, I think.)
Justin, thanks for the memories, and I wish you success in your after football life.
Asked if the possibility of interest from the Giants would change his mind, Tuck paused and smiled.
"If Coach (Tom) Coughlin would've come back another year, I probably would've (considered) coming back," Tuck said. "I didn't even venture down that road. I think I would've given a lot of consideration to it."
I'd love to see him around the team via local media or something, if he so desires.
Isn't he heavily involved in community work in the town in Alabama where he grew up? That said, he'd be welcomed back in Jersey.
When he signed his first contract extension before SB 42 ($45m I think), and had a monster game in SB, some said he should have waited till after the SB, would have gotten more, his response was something like (paraphrasing) "No regrets, $45m will go a long way in Alabama".
Sounds like he wants to go back home, but that was before he got married, had kids, so you never know.
extremely high class person. Privileged to watch him excel for years. Wish him all the best with what ever he wants to do for the rest of his life. I wonder if he and the Giants could get together for a spot on the coaching staff? (assistant DL coach)
the bigger the game, the better Tuck played. I remember that game in 2011 vs. GB in the regular season. He had struggled all year with injuries, especially the shoulder but even in a loss he showed Green Bay that come a big game he'd be ready to wreak havoc. He was in their backfield multiple times that day.
...when it mattered most. Always something to aspire to as an athlete. He was clutch. Looking forward to seeing him enshrined in the Giants Ring of Honor.
I think that was born out of Tuck making a comment about wanting to play for the Giants. Most people here, myself included, were NOT in favor of kicking the tires.
10 sacks as a rotational player in 2007. Shame the injuries cost him a real shot at all time great levels which I feel he was capable of. Dominant when healthy and a great guy. Signed my tuck jersey at training camp at MetLife. I plan on putting it behind glass soon. Love ya 91!
truly a GREAT GIANT and one of my favorite's. Only Strahan and Eli are in his company and Strahan retired in 2008 (can't believe it has been that long already).
That he could have won or shared both super bowl mvps with Eli. He was a threat at both end and tackle solid against both the run and pass. A high character guy who will have no problem finding work in the next chapter
Tuck will always be one of those guys that make you say he epitomized NY Giants football.
Reb, that wasn't true - early rumors on that trade indicated that the Broncos were interested in Tuck, but the reports that included details when Wilson failed his physical said that the deal was for a 'mid-round pick'.
While not as amazing as his Super Bowl 42 performance,
his sacks in Super Bowl 46 changed the game a lot. Brady had set a record with most consecutive complete passes and had closed the 1st half and opened the 2nd half with two long touchdown drives. Then Tuck got a big sack on Brady to stop the next drive and Tom suddenly became mediocre for the rest of the game.
and a better person, congratulations on a great career Justin Tuck. You were a true Giant.
The Giants couldn't have won those two Super Bowls without your tremendous play and leadership. Thank you for saving your best for the grandest of stages.
We look forward to seeing that 91 where it belongs, next to 72 and 92.
I was pondering another blue jersey with Eli being my current road jersey. Tuck will remain as my home blue jersey status for a while. A true gamer. As others have posted, hope the Giants somehow figure out a way to get him involved with the team, front office, something going forward.
I fear he will have a pretty pain-filled post-retirement life.
He got injured quite often, and seemed to give and receive an awful lot of punishment.
Part of football, but still sucks.
My guess is he'll follow the trend of so many other recent retirees and drop a crapload of weight next time you see him. He's always been the side of a small mountain.
this actual really nice article by Graziano about Tuck? Pretty much his best one I've seen. Nice words.
Quote:
Justin Tuck is an all-time great New York Giant and more
Feb 2, 2016
Dan Graziano
ESPN Staff Writer
When you cover pro sports for 20-plus years, it's rare to find players with whom you feel any kind of real connection. These guys make $1 million, $5 million, $20 million a year and have been unassailable stars since they were in high school. They operate in a different world than the one in which you and I live, even if I get to visit a small part of that world every day and ask them how it's going.
But Justin Tuck, the former New York Giants defensive end who announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday, always seemed like a different sort of guy.
Justin Tuck corralled Tom Brady in two Super Bowls, but that just scratches the surface of what he meant to the Giants and the NFL.
Tuck was unquestionably a great player. You don't need me to remind you that he sacked Tom Brady four times in two Super Bowls, or that he's sixth in Giants history in sacks, or that Michael Strahan looks at him as an equal or that Osi Umenyiora, Jason Pierre-Paul and Khalil Mack (among others) look at him as a mentor. Tuck is a two-time Super Bowl champion and a surefire Giants Ring of Honor member -- one of the most significant figures in the history of a franchise studded with them.
To me, though, Tuck the human being was always more interesting. He always seemed self-aware, which is a rare enough trait for high-profile pro athletes. But more than that, Tuck was -- and still is -- a player who's aware of the world around him, his place in it and the effect he has on it. He knew why the Giants put Pierre-Paul's locker next to his, and he took that responsibility seriously. He understood the jobs of those of us who walked around the locker room with notebooks and microphones, why we were there, what we needed and how we planned to use the insight and information with which he has always been so generous.
Bigger than all of that is the fact that Tuck and his wife have devoted such a significant chunk of their time to helping kids learn how to read. Go look up Tuck's R.U.S.H for Literacy and understand that this isn't just some charity at which Tuck has thrown his money or his name -- he spends his real time and energy on it to a stunning extent. If nothing else, Monday's announcement means even more hands-on time and effort from Tuck himself in helping children read. That's worth all of your admiration no matter how many sacks he had.
Tuck the player is worth celebrating. Tuck the person is even more fascinating. He could end up being a coach, a talk-show host like his man Strahan or a TV colleague of mine at ESPN and be great at any and all of it. I'm eager to see what he has planned next, after a well-deserved rest.
Meantime, if you're a Giants fan, Tuck is a representative of your team's latest glory days -- and a player and a person of whom you can be proud to be a fan. Congratulations to him on his career and his retirement. He has been the best of what you want in the players you root for.
2) I think he would be a good candidate to go into coaching. He is an intelligent, well spoken player who was about as fundamentally sound as they come.
3) He should have a special place in the HOF for that facemask.
4) 2 times could have been a SB MVP.
Tuck def had a leadership/coaching mold in his blood.
Congrats on a GREAT, championship career.
Isn't he heavily involved in community work in the town in Alabama where he grew up? That said, he'd be welcomed back in Jersey.
One of my all-time favorites. Arguably the best DE in the game for a couple of years when healthy, injuries cost him a chance to be an All-Timer. Super Bowl Legend.
"You don't know how it feels!!"
Easily one of my top 3 favorite Giants of all time. especially after he caught LaDanian Tomlinson from behind in his rookie year (wearing #44, I think.)
Justin, thanks for the memories, and I wish you success in your after football life.
From the article
"We're only going to score 17 points? Ha ha ha. OK," Tom Brady said at Media Day.
Tuck can't remember why exactly, but the Giants' defensive players were all together when they saw that clip for the first time.
"I scanned the room like, 'Am I the only one that heard that?' " he recalled. "Everybody's eyes were on the TV. No one said anything.
"It literally became a hatred for Tom Brady."
No question about it.
From the link ...
"If Coach (Tom) Coughlin would've come back another year, I probably would've (considered) coming back," Tuck said. "I didn't even venture down that road. I think I would've given a lot of consideration to it."
Link - ( New Window )
We could use a lot more Justin Tucks.
And for all the crappy drafting we've groused about ad nauseum, taking Tuck in round 3 remains one of the best picks the Giants ever made
Quote:
I'd love to see him around the team via local media or something, if he so desires.
Isn't he heavily involved in community work in the town in Alabama where he grew up? That said, he'd be welcomed back in Jersey.
When he signed his first contract extension before SB 42 ($45m I think), and had a monster game in SB, some said he should have waited till after the SB, would have gotten more, his response was something like (paraphrasing) "No regrets, $45m will go a long way in Alabama".
Sounds like he wants to go back home, but that was before he got married, had kids, so you never know.
BRANDOOOOO
Link
2 sacks in Super Bowl 42 and 2 sacks in Super Bowl 46 (the first is the safety which counts as a sack)
This is such a great statistic!
Enjoy your well deserved retirement, perhaps you can come coach our D line some day.
Class act!!!
2 sacks in Super Bowl 42 and 2 sacks in Super Bowl 46 (the first is the safety which counts as a sack)
This is such a great statistic!
Charles Haley had 2.0 sacks in SF/CIN, 1.0 in DAL/BUF, 0.5 DAL/BUF 2, 1.0 DAL/PITT.
Link - ( New Window )
He also looked after my favorite problem child Aldon Smith since joining the Raiders.
Also Flozell Adams can go &@?# himself.
Maybe the Giants need him on staff to help find some!
Charles Haley had 2.0 sacks in SF/CIN, 1.0 in DAL/BUF, 0.5 DAL/BUF 2, 1.0 DAL/PITT.
Link - ( New Window )
So, in other words, Haley had multiple sacks in one Super Bowl, thus agreeing that Tuck stands alone.
Great career. Thanks Justin. Now you can come back and work for the team.
We haven't had leadership like that since he left.
One of the best Giants ever.
And fuck Flozell Adams for messing his shoulder up.
yet another key cog from the SB years now rides off into the sunset. what a beast he was on the biggest stage. twice.
Enjoy your retirement JT. Thanks for everything!
Reb, that wasn't true - early rumors on that trade indicated that the Broncos were interested in Tuck, but the reports that included details when Wilson failed his physical said that the deal was for a 'mid-round pick'.
The Giants couldn't have won those two Super Bowls without your tremendous play and leadership. Thank you for saving your best for the grandest of stages.
We look forward to seeing that 91 where it belongs, next to 72 and 92.
Good luck in retirement.
Great Memories. Thank you 91.
Part of football, but still sucks.
Part of football, but still sucks.
My guess is he'll follow the trend of so many other recent retirees and drop a crapload of weight next time you see him. He's always been the side of a small mountain.
Justin Tuck is an all-time great New York Giant and more
Feb 2, 2016
Dan Graziano
ESPN Staff Writer
When you cover pro sports for 20-plus years, it's rare to find players with whom you feel any kind of real connection. These guys make $1 million, $5 million, $20 million a year and have been unassailable stars since they were in high school. They operate in a different world than the one in which you and I live, even if I get to visit a small part of that world every day and ask them how it's going.
But Justin Tuck, the former New York Giants defensive end who announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday, always seemed like a different sort of guy.
Justin Tuck corralled Tom Brady in two Super Bowls, but that just scratches the surface of what he meant to the Giants and the NFL.
Tuck was unquestionably a great player. You don't need me to remind you that he sacked Tom Brady four times in two Super Bowls, or that he's sixth in Giants history in sacks, or that Michael Strahan looks at him as an equal or that Osi Umenyiora, Jason Pierre-Paul and Khalil Mack (among others) look at him as a mentor. Tuck is a two-time Super Bowl champion and a surefire Giants Ring of Honor member -- one of the most significant figures in the history of a franchise studded with them.
To me, though, Tuck the human being was always more interesting. He always seemed self-aware, which is a rare enough trait for high-profile pro athletes. But more than that, Tuck was -- and still is -- a player who's aware of the world around him, his place in it and the effect he has on it. He knew why the Giants put Pierre-Paul's locker next to his, and he took that responsibility seriously. He understood the jobs of those of us who walked around the locker room with notebooks and microphones, why we were there, what we needed and how we planned to use the insight and information with which he has always been so generous.
Bigger than all of that is the fact that Tuck and his wife have devoted such a significant chunk of their time to helping kids learn how to read. Go look up Tuck's R.U.S.H for Literacy and understand that this isn't just some charity at which Tuck has thrown his money or his name -- he spends his real time and energy on it to a stunning extent. If nothing else, Monday's announcement means even more hands-on time and effort from Tuck himself in helping children read. That's worth all of your admiration no matter how many sacks he had.
Tuck the player is worth celebrating. Tuck the person is even more fascinating. He could end up being a coach, a talk-show host like his man Strahan or a TV colleague of mine at ESPN and be great at any and all of it. I'm eager to see what he has planned next, after a well-deserved rest.
Meantime, if you're a Giants fan, Tuck is a representative of your team's latest glory days -- and a player and a person of whom you can be proud to be a fan. Congratulations to him on his career and his retirement. He has been the best of what you want in the players you root for.