The New York Giants don’t seem to know if they are coming or going these days and that was perfectly represented by a series of embarrassing moments on Friday.
After reports had surfaced that long snapper Zak DeOssie would be placed on season-ending injured reserve, special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey was asked about the situation and the confusion was immediately evident on his face.
“Who said he was shut down? That’s something you’d have to talk to the head coach about. I don’t know, we’re just working,” a puzzled McGaughey said.
Head coach Pat Shurmur was barely able to offer any additional clarity, tripping over his words when trying to explain that DeOssie’s injuries were sustained earlier in the season and that he hadn’t practiced this week. Or had he?
Again, there seemed to be some confusion.
“Zak DeOssie? I can’t say that at this point. I don’t know that,” Shurmur said of DeOssie going on IR. “But he hasn’t been able to practice this week, so we’ll just have to see as the rest of the week unfolds.”
Pressed about DeOssie practicing on Wednesday, Shurmur suddenly appeared to remember that the long snapper did, in fact, practice to start the week.
“No, he wasn’t… Or, Wednesday yeah. But he hadn’t practiced yesterday and today,” a confused Shurmur said, unable to recall when DeOssie was originally injured. “No, I think in the Jets game he got banged up a little bit. He was just fighting through it being a tough guy. He was just unable to go Thursday and Friday.”
Uh… What? Seriously, what in the world is going on in East Rutherford?
The entire situation becomes all the more confusing and embarrassing with word that DeOssie has, in fact, been placed on season-ending injured reserve with fellow long snapper, Colin Holba, being promoted from the practice squad to replace him.
What an ugly, confusing and botched ending to Zak DeOssie’s lengthy Giants career.