Giants guard Jack Anderson mentioned he was crying by himself in his front room on Monday evening.
The Buffalo Bills drafted Damar Hamlin within the sixth spherical of the 2021 NFL Draft and took Anderson within the seventh. They sat two lockers away throughout that coaching camp with sixth-round DB Rachad Wildgoose in between.
So Hamlin’s emergency in Cincinnati was “hard to watch” for Anderson.
“I love that dude. It’s hard right now. That’s my dog,” Anderson mentioned Wednesday, struggling at his locker. “He was always asking me how my day went. That’s the kind of dude he is. You want your locker next to that guy because he cares about you and involves you in all of his stuff. He’d be like, ‘How was it today? Did you have a good day?’”
Anderson mentioned he was scrolling by way of previous messages with Hamlin on Tuesday evening. He smiled about their most up-to-date change on Instagram a month or two in the past.
“He slid up in one of my stories,” he mentioned. “He’s just a funny dude, a jokester. There was a girl I was talking to at the time, I posted her on my Instagram story, and he slid up and said, ‘Oh look at you, loverboy.’ That was the last thing he said to me. I was looking at that last night. That’s really who he is: just great energy, great dude.”
A ton of Giants gamers and workers hung out with Hamlin in Buffalo, together with GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll. None of them discovered it simple to take the follow on Wednesday, though all of them have been on the sector.
“I’ve practiced with a torn MCL, the flu, coming back from Covid, a sprained ankle,” mentioned nook Nick McCloud, a former Bill and pal of Hamlin’s. “But I’d say this is probably the toughest one I’ve had to try to get through for sure.”
Anderson, when requested how he would play in Sunday’s season finale in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles, mentioned: “I don’t know. I think you don’t really got a choice at this point. We got a game this week, and that’s the task at hand. But obviously it’s in the back of our heads and it’s scary, for sure.”
Daboll — who wore a blue Giants hat with Hamlin’s No. 3 in white to honor him — mentioned no gamers had approached him but to say they have been unprepared to play on Sunday.
But the pinnacle coach had the Giants’ medical workers, staff psychologist Dr. Lani Lawrence, and staff chaplain Gian Paul Gonzalez converse to the gamers of their 9:30 a.m. staff assembly. And Gonzalez additionally mentioned a prayer.
“That’s how we started before any football,” mentioned Daboll, the Bills’ former offensive coordinator. Schoen, who was Buffalo’s assistant GM after they drafted Hamlin final 12 months, wore a No. 3 hat on the follow subject, as effectively.
“On behalf of our organization, myself, Joe, the players, some of the coaches, some of the staff members, a lot of us have been around Damar,” Daboll mentioned in a somber opening assertion at his press convention. “We provide our prayers to him, his household and other people in that group.
“They’ve been through a lot, and this is tragic,” Daboll added. “It’s tragic to see. I feel for Damar most importantly, his family, but all the players and coaches that are around him every day. He’s a tremendous young man. And I just pray for a recovery. That was tough.”
Anderson mentioned “still it’s a helpless feeling” looking for out that Hamlin shall be OK.
“Shit, I just want to know he’s alright,” the offensive lineman mentioned. “It’s tough right now.”
Safety Jason Pinnock, a four-year school teammate of Hamlin’s at Pittsburgh from 2017-20, practiced on Wednesday however understandably was not within the locker room.
Pinnock and McCloud, although, linked after they joined the Giants at the beginning of this season attributable to their mutual pal Hamlin. So collectively, they’re supporting and monitoring Hamlin’s state of affairs intently.
“Me and Pinnock have been in communication with people who are close,” McCloud mentioned. “So, we’re just trying to get updates as much as we can. We’ve been on the phone, I’d probably say, by the hour. Ever since it happened, we’ve just been sharing information, trying to get information to each other as much as we can. So definitely trying to lean on each other as best as we can right now.”
It was clearly not simple for Anderson, McCloud, quarterback Davis Webb, large receiver Isaiah Hodgins and others to even speak about two days later.
“This whole week is going to be a little challenging,” mentioned Hodgins, Hamlin’s former Bills teammate. “For gamers on our staff, across the league, gamers on the Bills, gamers all over the place simply understanding that could be a chance. We know that it’s a violent recreation and there’s a possibility of damage and tearing one thing, however not often does it cross your head like, ‘I’m not going to have the ability to go house and see my household.’
“Just the fact that it became a reality is a little scary,” he added. “But we’re praying for the best and hoping for the best.”
LOVE’S A GOOD GUY
Giants security Julian Love has been elected the winner of the twenty second annual George Young-Ernie Accorsi Media Good Guy Award by the New York Giants Chapter of the Professional Football Writers of America for his professionalism and availability in the course of the 2022 season. Love received the award after ending second final 12 months.
“To all you guys who gave me the second place votes last year …,” Love cracked Wednesday. He graciously accepted and mentioned this has been a straightforward 12 months to discuss the Giants given their success.
Three gamers acquired first-place votes: Love (11), large receiver Darius Slayton (4) and guard Nick Gates (three).
GIANTS INJURY REPORT
Did not take part: DT Leonard Williams (neck), OLB Azeez Ojulari (ankle), C Jon Feliciano (again), DT Dexter Lawrence (relaxation), follow squad DT Vernon Butler (sickness). Limited: CB Adoree Jackson (knee). Full: S Xavier McKinney (fingers) … Daboll wouldn’t say if he plans to play or relaxation starters in Sunday’s finale. Saquon Barkley informed the Daily News: “I’m playing. Unless Dabes tells me differently, I’m playing.” Important disclaimer: Daboll probably will inform him in another way … Meanwhile, the Giants aren’t considering of any want for a doable contingency plan if the NFL goes to dramatically alter all the league schedule but. They’ll merely modify if and after they obtain phrase of a change.
EAGLES PROJECTED INJURY REPORT
Did not take part: OT Lane Johnson (groin), DE Josh Sweat (neck), CB Avonte Maddox (toe), CB Zech McPhearson (sickness). Limited: QB Jalen Hurts (proper shoulder), RB Miles Sanders (knee), LB Shaun Bradley (wrist).
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Source: www.bostonherald.com