According to No. 2, Tyrod Taylor, Giants have a great group of 1s
Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor calls out a play during the first half of an NFL preseason game against the Jets on Saturday at MetLife Stadium. Credit: AP/Frank Franklin II
Tyrod Taylor has one of the most important positions on the Giants, even if you rarely see him take the field on game days.
That’s life as a backup quarterback in the NFL.
In a recent conversation with Newsday, Taylor was his affable self, his perspective every bit that of the 13-year veteran he is.
Especially as he assessed what he sees in the Giants’ offense.
“Since the spring, I’d say we’ve had a lot of competition at every position,” Taylor said. The Giants, he believes, “have done a great job of creating competition. A lot of competition. Whether a job was open or not. But the feeling of competition. And I think that uplifted the morale of the entire team.”
That’s a conclusion that jibes with what the media saw in watching a summer full of Giants practices.
“Here’s what stood out to me,” Taylor said. “Guys made plays at every position. Obviously, I spend most of my time with the offense. And you saw receivers and tight ends making plays. [Sterling Shepard] is coming off injuries and he grinded his butt off to get back to this point. And the whole running back room has been amazing.”
Taylor himself is in a critical position for the Giants. Recent history provides evidence of that.
A brief rewind: If the Giants had a capable backup quarterback in 2021 when Daniel Jones’ neck injury ended his season, they might have been able to play at least respectable football down the stretch of the season. And that might have — might have — led to at least a conversation about Joe Judge being retained for another season.
Instead, it was a disaster. the Giants were 4-7 when Jones’ season ended. They finished 4-13, averaging 9.3 points.
Within the organization, it was particularly the absence of a capable backup quarterback, even among other blunders, that doomed Judge in the eyes of team decision-makers.
So yes, the role of the Giants’ backup quarterback is critical. And it’s one that Taylor always has taken seriously.
He observes Jones on the practice field and in the meeting rooms.
“What do I see? Just full command,” Taylor said. “Obviously, last year was all of our first years in this system [under coach Brian Daboll and his staff]. To have a full year under him, to have more chemistry with the players [is beneficial]. And Daniel’s a little more outspoken. He’s still himself. But he’s taken total command of everything. Ownership of just the offense itself. He does a great job in stepping up in meetings and just being himself. [His demeanor] has rubbed off on the guys on offense.”
Of Darren Waller, the 6-6 tight end, Taylor said: “It’s definitely fun. He’s never covered in our eyes. If you just give him a chance, there’s a high probability he’s going to come down with the ball. Obviously, you want to give him as many chances as possible because when the ball is in his hands, after the catch, he can make plays. He creates havoc for the defense. Hats off to him. I’ve known Darren for a while, so I’m happy to see the player he’s become and look forward to him making plays this year.”
Asked about rookie receiver Jalin Hyatt, Taylor smiled.
“I see a talented kid who can be very special in this league,” Taylor said. “Obviously, his speed is probably top three in the league. He catches the ball very well. He has natural hands. Doesn’t fight the ball. He’s not just a speedster.”
Taylor wondered, as others have, why Hyatt was a third-round pick. Taylor believes Hyatt has pondered that, too.
“For me, nothing in this league surprises me,” Taylor said, “and I’m pretty sure, when it’s all said and done, this was the right situation for him to be in. I don’t think he would second-guess anything. If anything, he’ll use it as motivation. But I think he’s in the right situation to be able to showcase what he can do early in his career and for the remainder of his career.”
As for Taylor himself, he is the Giants’ elder statesman and is respected as such.
Said Jones: “He’s a true pro, he’s an extremely hard-working guy. I think the biggest thing is his discipline and how he goes about his routine every day. As someone who’s been in the league a long time and has had a lot of success, that’s someone I look to and take a lot from.”
And there’s this, from receiver Darius Slayton: “Tyrod’s kind of like a cool uncle. That’s the best way I can describe him. He’s a veteran guy, an older guy, but he’s always cool as a cucumber. And if you ever needed him, he’d be there.”
At some point, retirement will beckon.
He’s not there yet.
“I still feel young. I feel good at my age,” said Taylor, who turned 34 in August. “My body feels good. I still love competing. I love the game. I love preparing for it. I love interacting with the guys when I step in the huddle. It still means something to me and it always will. As long as I’m healthy enough to play, I’m going to want to go out, put my best foot forward and keep making plays.”
Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.
