The New York Giants have had some leaders come and they’ve had some leaders go in recent years, but they haven’t had a true vocal leader — especially on the defensive side of the ball — since safety Antrel Rolle last played for the team in 2014.
Linebacker Blake Martinez is here to change that.
“That’s the reason I am here, to be that guy. For me, I pride myself on not being too flustered in any moments and being that rock for the defense. Especially obviously for me being the quote, unquote, quarterback on the defense. Being that guy that’s always calm, cool, and collected,” Martinez told reporters on Thursday.
“Overall, for me it’s just being able to allow those guys to understand that I’m going to be on top of everything from checks, making sure people are lined up in the right position, that I am that calming factor. For me, I take every single day to keep chipping at that. Whether it’s walk throughs, talking in meetings, guys start to recognize this guy knows what going on, this guy is going to allow me to not have any freak moments. If things are moving fast, he’s the guy that I can turn to and calm myself down.”
Martinez admits the lack of an offseason hurt the team’s overall development and his ability to slide into a leadership role, but credits Zoom meetings and videos games with helping the players bond.
“Especially me being a new guy, I thought about the OTA’s portion, especially if you are a rookie or new a free agent, as that earning the respect portion. I think that’s a big miss,” Martinez said. “You can work out together and you get to see everybody’s work ethic, you get to see the guys doing extra. See the guys take control in certain tough situations, whether it’s conditioning, meetings, walk throughs and things like that.”
“I think overall we did a great job as a team making sure we took advantage of what we were given. The zoom meetings, being able to add in video games at nighttime with guys, just chatting with guys after the meetings ended. Overall, walking in it was just having to see the guy’s face for the first time in person. Being like, oh sweet, that’s what you look like, it’s not just your face, I get your whole body now. That portion was different, but overall, it was cool to walk in and make it seem like we have been friends for the last six months.”
One positive — which Martinez likes to focus on — is his familiarity with defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
“We have great relationship. We grew it my third year in Green Bay and it makes it a lot easier to walk into his office anytime. Any concerns I have, or certain questions I have, I can go straight to him and we chat just like anybody else. It’s made it a lot easier to get new updates on anything that he is changing throughout the day,” Martinez said.
Martinez sure sounds like a leader and that’s something these young Giants desperately need.
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