Real NYPD honors Giants’ ‘New York Pass Defense’
New York Giants strong safety Landon Collins wears an 'nypd football' hat in the locker room after practice at Giants Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The actual NYPD showed up at the Giants’ facility Friday to visit their namesakes and they came bearing gifts.
Members of the New York Police Department football team brought boxes of ski hats and baseball caps with the words “NYPD Football” printed on them to hand out to members of the Giants’ secondary. The group, which has become a dominant unit this season, has adopted the nickname “NYPD,” which stands for “New York Pass Defense.”
“They came in and I was in a meeting and our [public relations] person came and got me and said come talk to them,” safety Landon Collins said of meeting the officers and posing for pictures in front of the team’s four Lombardi Trophies in the lobby. “It was cool.”
Collins and cornerbacks Eli Apple and Trevin Wade were seen wearing the ski hats in the locker room. But it wasn’t only the secondary that received the hats. Defensive tackle Damon Harrison also wore one in the locker room.
“The [defensive backs] had the hats over there in a box and I just went over there and took it,” Harrison said. “I stole it. Jackrabbit [Janoris Jenkins] was fighting me for it and I took it from him . . . He was pushing me to tell me to leave it alone and I just took it. I didn’t earn it.”
All-Pros
Harrison and Collins were named to The Associated Press All-Pro first team, the first Giants to receive the honor since Jason Pierre-Paul in 2011. Receiver Odell Beckham Jr., defensive end Olivier Vernon, cornerback Jenkins and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie were named to the second team.
Giant steps
Packers receiver Randall Cobb (ankle) and cornerback Damarious Randall (knee) are listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. The Giants ruled out only one player: Pierre-Paul (core muscle). Defensive end Owa Odighizuwa (hamstring) was listed as doubtful. Jenkins (back) was not given an injury report designation for Sunday, meaning he is virtually assured of playing.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
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