New York Giants cornerback Darnay Holmes has had a stellar training camp to date. He’s impressed both his coaches and his teammates, even earning the nickname “Dirty 30” from defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.
“What I like about Nay is he’s been productive while he’s in there and he wants to go against the best every time he gets in the one-on-one reps, and I love his toughness,” Martindale told reporters. “You know, I call him, ‘Dirty 30.’ I just love his toughness and I’m not saying he plays dirty. I’m just talking about how he embraces the grind of practicing every day, doing things right and asking the right questions. He’s got some qualities that we haven’t had before at that position.”
As someone who grew up in a tough neighborhood and whose family went through some hard times, Holmes has embraced the “Dirty 30” identity.
“I think it was something that was earned. I feel like I’m a relentless player, so I feel like it’s very fitting,” Holmes said. “I grew up in an impoverished area. Pretty much growing up in those type of terms you’ve got to always have your guard up and put your best foot forward. When things get rough, you just keep your head down and keep on working. So, as I said before, a very fitting name.”
To his credit, Holmes has done exactly that — kept his head down and continues to work. In fact, over the past year, Holmes has spent a lot of time working on his game and himself. He feels much more clear-headed entering the 2022 season, and he had a lot of help in reaching that zen state.
“I just want to give a salute to those who put the work in for me in a matter of giving me insight and giving me wisdom. The OTAs played a major role for our early success — understanding the system, understanding the scheme,” Holmes said. “Just the people who worked on my body beforehand once I got up here. My coaches, my lady, my family, they all played a mental role in my mental state now and just where I am being later on in life.
“I’ll say I’m a guy who is very open minded, so, I’m constantly evolving. You know, I’m more in tune with things. I’m in tune with understanding that you’re never going to be able to eliminate doubt. You’re never going to be able to eliminate fear. You’re never going to be able to eliminate the inevitable of losing reps. Having the understanding that when I hit that field, it might not go my way and be able to respond. I feel like I’m more grounded and more free flowing.”
Part of this evolution began last season following what Holmes called a “heart-to-heart” with former Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. It was a message that bettered his game on the field and bettered his mind off of it.
“One thing he told me was being from the West Coast, you have that Cali cool, and I wasn’t getting on the line right when I got out of the huddle,” Holmes said. “Pretty much once you get in line, once the offense breaks the huddle, once you get in line, you’re able to be more observant. You’re able to read what they put right in front of you. So that little tip right there has took my game to the next level for sure. That was a much-needed thing that he instilled in me for sure.”
Holmes is currently listed as the Giants’ starting nickel corner and is poised to play a significant role for the defense this season.
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