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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
John Fennelly

Giants legend Carl Banks critical of Malik Nabers in hot-mic moment

The frustration in the land of the New York Giants (2-10) is boiling over these days.

Players are openly criticizing coaches and each other as the team continues to plummet toward the top pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

After the Giants’ 30-7 home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers two weeks ago, rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers appeared to be highly critical of the team’s coaches and direction after not being targeted in the first half of the blowout.

“First, second quarter, I don’t get the ball,” Nabers told reporters while ranting about his lack of involvement in the offensive game plans, per the New York Post.

“Start getting targets at the end. I mean, can’t do nothing. Start getting the ball when it’s 30-0. What do you want me to do?”

Nabers did end up with six catches for 64 yards on nine targets in the game but he had a valid point. His transgression was saying it out loud in front of a group of reporters.

During the postgame show, Carl Banks, the Ring of Honor linebacker-turned-radio analyst, made this comment to co-host Amani Toomer, unaware the cameras were rolling.

“You know what’s so interesting too, is that our guys don’t value possessions,” Banks said. “Even your top pick drops one, crossing route, has it, then he misses it. Then he’s on the sideline, which probably should have been an incomplete pass, he just catches, he’s lackadaisical and the guy knocks it out of his hands. I’m like, ‘Bro, you’re trying to score. Value these possessions.'”

Banks didn’t realize he was on the air, but Nabers did know his comments would be documented.

That leads us to the overall state of the Giants. They never censored the players but they did limit their availability to the media. That doesn’t seem to be happening these days.

Nabers should have been shielded from the media until he was ready to speak. He’s a rookie whose emotions were running high and needed to be calmed down so he could objectively make his statements.

It’s a bad look for the organization. Being disorganized and undisciplined on the field is one thing, but off the field is another issue.

The brand has been taking hits for several years now and all head coach Brian Daboll says is that he keeps all conversations and discipline private.

That’s fair, but it’s also not working very well.

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