Giants’ Coaches Deny Any Issues Following Punt Return Touchdown
The New York Giants want to put an end to any rumors of discord between coach Brian Daboll and special-teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey. After the Giants allowed a 95-yard punt return touchdown against the Lions in the preseason opener, McGaughey addressed the incident during a press conference on Tuesday.
McGaughey acknowledged the intense glare he received from Daboll but dismissed it as part of the game. “We all know [Daboll] is intense and on game day, that’s just him. It’s not a big deal. It’s happened before. That’s just part of the game. He’s an intense guy, we have no issues. That’s just part of football, it’s an intense game,” McGaughey told reporters.
He also clarified that he and Daboll did not discuss the moment after the game. “No, it’s football,” McGaughey said. “I mean, it happens. It is what it is. It’s an intense game, it’s not that big of a deal. I promise you if you look at my face sometimes during the course of a game, you are going to see some crazy stuff, too. That’s just what it is. You will see some stares and glares because that’s just the game.”
The incident in question can be viewed in a video shared on Twitter. McGaughey’s decision to address the situation during his opening remarks seemed calculated and strategic. However, Daboll had already downplayed the incident after the game when asked about it by reporters.
Daboll said, “Not an issue. [I’m a] competitive guy. We’re all competitive. We’re in a competitive environment. I hold everybody, not just T-Mac, myself and everybody else, to a high standard. Love T-Mac.” His response appeared to dismiss any notion of a problem between the coaches.
While McGaughey’s decision to address the glare may have given it unnecessary attention, it also prevented possible questions from being raised afterward. If not for his preemptive response, this story and others like it would not have emerged.
The Giants are focused on moving forward and putting this incident behind them as they continue their preseason preparations.