When the New York Giants selected Alabama offensive lineman Evan Neal with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, he thought he was heading for the city.
However, Neal quickly found out that the Giants aren’t based in New York City. And while The Big Apple will serve as the backdrop at MetLife Stadium, the 21-year-old came to realize he’d actually be playing in the state of New Jersey.
Yes. The Giants do play in New Jersey, Evan Neal. It’s understandable with the confusion.pic.twitter.com/8ByaioQ4aQ
— Doug Rush (@TheDougRush) April 30, 2022
“The thing that stood out to me the most — I didn’t even know the Giants were in New Jersey, so that was new to me. I thought they were in New York,” Neal told reporters with a laugh.
Neal may have felt a little embarrassed when he realized his geography was off, but he’s far from the first to make that mistake. Several rookies throughout the years — especially those coming from outside of the northeast — believed the Giants played in New York City.
Surprise.
Of course, there are some Giants and Jets fans who would prefer that change. Or at the very least, prefer that the two teams change their names to “New Jersey.” In fact, there’s even an active class action lawsuit aimed at that end.
Neal obviously has a lot of learning to do and playing in New Jersey won’t be the only revelation that comes to him. Wait until he begins to engage in the local pizza wars or experiences the wildly congested and aggressive traffic in and around the area.
