Tom Rock
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Columnist covering the @NFL, @Giants & @nyjets for @NewsdaySports; author of "Miracle Moments in NY Giants Football History" @MiracleNYG. (he/him/his)🏳️🌈
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Articles by Tom Rock
Grading the Jets' Week 5 win over the Cleveland Browns
OFFENSE After starting the game with an impressive touchdown drive, the Jets didn’t score another point until the fourth quarter, and their only other touchdown came on a short-field drive of 23 yards after the Browns messed up their punt. They took four sacks and way too many negative runs. They fumbled four times, losing two. But they did enough to win. Braelon Allen had a career-high 116 rushing yards and that fourth-quarter TD. Garrett Wilson had seven catches for 104 yards and a 32-yard score.
Tom Rock: Edge rusher David Bailey is low-key but his 3 sacks against Browns stand out
There seems to be just one person in the Jets organization who still doesn’t seem very impressed by David Bailey, the rookie edge rusher who the team selected with the second overall pick in April. That’d be Bailey himself. Not even his three-sack performance in Sunday’s 17-12 win over the Browns could change his disposition. After each of the takedowns of quarterback Deshaun Watson he simply got to his feet and went back to work. He headed either back to the huddle or over to the sideline.
Tom Rock: Giants are the center of attention among NY sports teams for the first time in a while
John Harbaugh was asleep for one of the Giants’ biggest moments of this week: When the division rival Cowboys looked awful in a loss to the Bucs on Thursday night. “I didn’t stay up for it, it was too late,” he said. “But I saw the highlights in the morning, and guys were talking about it.” He said general manager Joe Schoen gave him the rundown of what happened. “It’s more like you probably talk about it at work with your colleagues and friends and stuff,” Harbaugh said.
Sam Kamara, the only player from Stony Brook currently in the NFL, elevated to Browns' roster for Jets game on Sunday
The only Stony Brook University product currently with an NFL team will be playing for the Browns against the Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Sam Kamara, a defensive lineman on Cleveland’s practice squad, was elevated on Saturday for the game. He will likely see his first action of the season due to a rash of injuries to the Browns’ defensive front. Mason Graham (knee/ankle), Kalia Davis (quad) and Mike Hall Jr. (ankle) were all ruled out.
Tom Rock: Giants' Deonte Banks and two-time Super Bowl champion Corey Webster have a lot in common
Corey Webster was a two-time Super Bowl-winning cornerback for the Giants and was on the defensive end of some of the most memorable plays during that championship stretch. He made the overtime interception of Brett Favre that set up the winning field goal at a frigid Lambeau Field in the NFC Championship Game and ran stride-for-stride with Randy Moss on a couple of desperation heaves from Tom Brady in the closing seconds of Super Bowl XLII.
Tom Rock: Jets owner Woody Johnson may need to get more involved with this mess
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Woody Johnson has made a concerted effort in the past few years to be less of a meddling owner. Well, at the very least he wants to not be perceived as one. Whatever whims and opinions he has about the Jets are bound to trickle d pxo uispvhi uif gsbodijtf xifuifs if joufoet uifn up ps opu. Uif qpjou jt uibu if xpvme sbuifs cf tffo bt b cbdlhspvoe gjhvsf jo uif ebz-up-ebz pqfsbujpo uibo bt b njdspnbobhjoh tusjoh-qvmmfs. Tp gbs if ibto’u ibe up csfbl dibsbdufs jo uibu sfhbse.
Grading the Giants' Week 4 win over the Arizona Cardinals
OFFENSE Three turnovers are way too many and the unit’s inability to put the game away when it had the ball with 4:47 remaining was an issue. Things started so poorly for them that there were boos in the second quarter. But on the few times when things hummed, Winston’s three TD passes, his third-and-20 conversion pass to Malachi Fields, man did they look sharp. More of that, please.
Tom Rock: 'The Jameis Winston Experience' is taking the Giants by storm; hop along for the ride!
We all know what the phrase “The Jameis Winston Experience” means. And if you didn’t before watching the Giants game on Sunday, you certainly do now. It’s the Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride of the NFL, a herky-jerky coaster of emotions and outcomes that churns out seemingly random plays at unexpected times. Think he’s incapable of completing a pass? Watch him scramble and find rookie Malachi Fields in the end zone or zip seeds to Malik Nabers or Theo Johnson for touchdowns.
Tom Rock: John Harbaugh's actions speak louder than words after Giants' trade for QB J.J. McCarthy
John Harbaugh was asked if he felt the need to say anything to Jameis Winston after the Giants added another quarterback this past week. Seems logical. The trade for J.J. McCarthy not only brings a backup to the roster in case something happens to Winston but gives them an alternative if Winston continues to struggle in his new role as starter. Through nearly two full games with Winston running the offense, the Giants have yet to reach the end zone.
Tom Rock: Giants found a way to win ugly game, and that's a pretty big development
This is the way Giants football will likely be for the rest of the season. It’s going to be ugly and grimy and not particularly fun to watch. It’s going to be nerve-wracking and terrifying and a tightrope of football sanity. It’s going to look like they are playing in a nor’easter even when the skies are clear or they sneak inside a dome or two. It’s going to allow a clearly inferior team to come within moments of crushing the already fragile psyche of the locker room.
Grading the Giants' Week 3 win over the Tennessee Titans
OFFENSE The Giants haven’t scored a touchdown since Jaxson Dart left the field last Monday. There were so many lost opportunities for them to put this game away, including two first-and-goal situations that resulted in field goals. Jameis Winston was 14-for-22 for 118 yards and had just one pass for more than 13 yards. Cam Skattebo ran 20 times for 60 yards and Najee Harris had 52 yards on nine carries. The Giants were just 4-for-13 on third downs.
Tom Rock: The show must go on for the Giants, and there's no better showman than Jameis Winston
There was a time when Jameis Winston probably thought his most significant performance of the year at MetLife Stadium already was in the books. During the summer, he served as part of the Fox broadcast of the World Cup matches, which culminated in July in the very stadium where the Giants will play the Titans on Sunday. His job then was to be fun and loose, help amp up the energy and make sure everyone had a good time. Those are things that come pretty naturally to him.
Tom Rock: Is this the week Odell Beckham Jr. finally contributes on the field? John Harbaugh hopes so.
Wondering where Odell Beckham Jr. has been? You are not alone. “That’s a great question,” Giants head coach John Harbaugh said on Friday after being asked when the one-time star receiver and sentimental fan favorite who made the team in the summer would start to show up in the offense. “I would think Sunday would be great. I would be all for it for Sunday. That would be the perfect time in my mind.
Giants vs. Titans: What to watch in their Week 3 matchup
Remember the Giants, starring Brian Daboll Brian Daboll is in his ninth different NFL job with eight different organizations this year as offensive coordinator for the Titans. “I’ve faced a lot of former teams before,” he said in Nashville this week. This, though, will be the first time he faces a team with which he was the head coach.
Tom Rock: Brian Daboll returns to face a Giants team without the QB he drafted
There is an irony that Brian Daboll, the former head coach of the Giants, whose one big positive and lasting legacy from his four-season tenure here was his hand in setting the franchise up with a quarterback around whom it believed it could build its future, a quarterback who was so instrumental in luring Daboll’s upgrade of a replacement John Harbaugh to New York, and the quarterback who brought the first full dose of excitement to the fanbase in years when he opened this season with a...
4 potential backup quarterback options for the Giants
Here are some experienced quarterbacks the Giants should keep an eye on if Jameis Winston can’t cut it on Sunday: Mac Jones The former Patriots starter is now the backup for the 49ers and went 5-3 filling in for Brock Purdy last season. San Francisco probably will not want to give him up – they seem to have a good thing going and he is strong insurance against their own potential loss of a starter – but if a team is desperate enough to fork over enough capital he might be had.
If Jameis Winston isn't the answer, the Giants need to find a quarterback who is
There are few things as deflating for fans, players, coaches and executives as watching a promising football season crumble to the turf along with an injured starting quarterback.
How Oceanside's Rob Lohman has survived and thrived in the NFL with the Detroit Lions
A lot has changed for the Detroit Lions since their miserable 0-16 season in 2008. A lot certainly had to. They have gone through three different general managers and are on their fourth full-time head coach since then, and that doesn’t even include a handful of interims in each of those positions. They’ve become perennial playoff contenders, too. They have redefined their culture and their expectations.
Long Island's Dan Villari, a tight end for Rams, on what it's like to be a practice squad player in the NFL
There are some things about Monday night’s dream-come-true situation that are even better than Dan Villari spent most of his life imagining they could be. A rookie tight end for the Rams, not only will he be experiencing his first NFL regular-season game as a pro, but it will be on Monday Night Football and against his hometown team. “I’m going to be jumping up and down, bro,” the former Plainedge star quarterback told Newsday of his excitement. “Especially because we are playing the Giants.
Tom Rock: Aaron Glenn fumbled Jets' chance to start season 2-0 with questionable decisions
With a little over a minute left in regulation and the score tied at 17, Jets safety Dane Belton came up and made a third-down tackle on Christian Watson that should have given his team the ball back with a chance to win the game. The short completion left the Packers facing fourth-and-5 from the Jets’ 45, too far to attempt a field goal and too dangerous to try to convert. They were going to have to punt. Only they never did.
Former Giants GM Ernie Accorsi dies at 84
Ernie Accorsi, the former Giants general manager who brought Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning to the organization while building the infrastructure for two Super Bowl-winning teams, died Saturday, the team announced. He was 84. “Ernie helped shape the course of New York Giants history through his vision, leadership and unwavering belief in building a championship organization,” Giants president and CEO John Mara said.
Tom Rock: Get excited, Jets fans; your team could start 2-0 . . . and dare we say it, 3-0!
The weather forecast for MetLife Stadium on Sunday has been gloomy all week. It’s the Jets’ home opener, so naturally, after several straight days with near-perfect conditions, there is the expectation of rain to dampen things. That’s just how things tend to go for the Jets. The team that was hoping for a White Out from its fans in this game against the Packers could get a Wash Out instead.
Giants WRs coach Chad Hall is brother-in-law of Rams QB Matthew Stafford; Does Big Blue have an advantage?
There was a brief period of time early in the 2025 offseason when the Giants were in strong pursuit of quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was given the opportunity to explore trade options by the Rams. Stafford wound up signing an extension with Los Angeles and won the MVP award; the Giants signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston as their experienced options and then drafted Jaxson Dart.
Giants place Paulson Adebo on IR, could be shorthanded against Rams on Monday Night Football
The Giants will be facing one of the most explosive passing attacks in the league on Monday with a banged up secondary. Cornerback Paulson Adebo (knee) was placed on injured reserve Friday, Deonte Banks (calf) did not practice after he was limited on Thursday, and Greg Newsome II (rib) was limited for the second straight day.
Tom Rock: Geno Smith, the Jets and the 'promised land'? Maybe that's not so far-fetched right now
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Aaron Glenn gave the league a good guffaw back in the spring when he casually mentioned he believed Geno Smith could be “the guy that's going to lead us to the promised land." We all laughed and laughed. And why not? This was a coach who had just a year prior put his unwavering faith in Justin Fields only to see that commitment burst into job-threatening flames.
The Jets' Andre Cisco was a starter. Then he was a backup. For six snaps. Now he's back as a starter.
FLORHAM PARK, NJ – For almost all of his career, really since the back end of his rookie season in Jacksonville in 2021, Andre Cisco hasn’t just been a safety in the NFL. He’s been a starting safety. He played that position with that title 47 times over four years for the Jaguars and eight times for the Jets last season before a torn pectoral ended his first year in New York. When he returned to the Jets this summer, that’s the role he was penciled into and many expected him to keep.
Tom Rock: Jets' Sterling Shepard feeling right at home in familiar area
FLORHAM PARK, NJ – Sterling Shepard spent Sunday at home in Florida, trying to keep his daughters, now 8 and 6, quiet enough so he could watch the NFL games on his first opening day without a team since before he was drafted by the Giants a decade ago. He sat on the cusp of that exiled retirement and watched his buddy Baker Mayfield play for Tampa Bay, his old teammate Daniel Jones quarterback the Colts, and he tuned in to see what Odell Beckham Jr. and the Giants could do that night.
'Mr. Irrelevant' movie tells story of John Tuggle, former Giants player who became an inspiration for 1986 Super Bowl champions
Maybe you saw the Giants in person at MetLife Stadium on Sunday night. Perhaps you watched them on television or listened to them on the radio. Then again, you may have seen them in action in an unusual and unexpected place on Sunday: A movie trailer.
Tom Rock: When is the last time the Jets and Giants were 1-0 to start the season?
Aaron Glenn had just retired as a player. John Harbaugh was in his second season as the head coach of the Ravens. Geno Smith was a freshman at West Virginia. Jaxson Dart was six. It was the fall of 2009. And it was the last time New York football felt anything approaching this. It was the last time before this Monday that we woke up after the opening day of the NFL season to two undefeated teams, to positivity and promise.
Tom Rock: Giants and John Harbaugh live up to all the hype
John Harbaugh had eight months to think about how Sunday night was going to go down. Eight months to plan for it and prep for all of the emotions. And then, just as he was about to pull in for his debut as head coach of the Giants, he came face-to-face with an unforeseen issue. Traffic. “The parking lot was off the chain,” he said of the congregation that had gathered and briefly delayed his arrival at MetLife Stadium. Welcome to New York.
Malik Nabers active for Giants' opener vs. Cowboys, will play for first time in nearly a year after knee injury
Malik Nabers cleared Malik Nabers to play in Sunday night’s game against the Cowboys, and apparently just in time. The wide receiver, who said he alone would make the decision on his availability this week, chose participation over hesitation.
Tom Rock: Jets can talk all they want about winning, but it won't matter until they actually start doing so
At least the Jets are in complete sync when it comes to one thing. Throughout this week, they were asked, at various points, what will make this season a success. In recent years, the answers to such queries came with vague replies such as improvement, respect, meaningful games at certain points in the schedule. Last year Aaron Glenn set the bar at the ambiguous height of building a team that “fans could be proud of.” It’s fair to say they fell unambiguously short of that.
Tom Rock: It would be a real shock if Giants' Malik Nabers doesn't play vs. Cowboys despite questionable tag
Questionable. Yep, that pretty much sums it up. It’s the final injury designation the Giants gave Malik Nabers on Friday heading into Sunday night’s opener against the Cowboys. But it sheds very little light – perhaps purposefully, perhaps accurately -- on what anyone can really expect to happen when the teams take the field. Really he’s been questionable for this game since he tore his ACL last season and he remains that way two days before kickoff. Nabers certainly seems like he is good to go.
Tom Rock: Odell Beckham Jr., Giants vs. Cowboys and waiting all day for Sunday night
Odell Beckham Jr. Against the Cowboys. At MetLife Stadium. On Sunday Night Football. No, you are not the only one who will have flashbacks to Nov. 23, 2014, when ol’ number 13 takes the field for the Giants in Week 1 on Sunday. The guy calling the action will, too. Cris Collinsworth, who was the announcer for the game over a decade ago when Beckham made that signature one-handed catch against Dallas, will be back in the booth for this one too on NBC.
Giants-Cowboys: What to watch for in Week 1 matchup
Rookie Reese 'super excited' for debut Arvell Reese doesn’t have expectations for his NFL debut Sunday night. But the Giants rookie linebacker and No. 5 overall pick knows he will feel a range of emotions playing the Cowboys at MetLife Stadium. “Super excited. Anxious,” Reese told Newsday. “It’s the first one. So I’m super anxious and it’s kind of crazy.” John Harbaugh didn’t name starters for the season opener but Reese has taken first-team reps since the spring.
Giants' Sisi Mauigoa starting NFL career against some of the best pass rushers in the game
When Sisi Mauigoa started preparing for his first NFL game and realized he’d be lined up against defensive tackle Quinnen Williams as his first foe he turned to his big brother for a scouting report. Kiko Mauigoa is a linebacker for the Jets and had been a teammate of Williams’ there. He’d also given Sisi plenty of other sage advice over the years and Sisi figured he could be counted on to provide some tips or tells on the big fella who is now an anchor for the Cowboys.
Tom Rock: 25 years later, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn remembers Sept. 11 attacks and how everyone came together in aftermath
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Everyone who was in or around New York on 9/11 has a story. Aaron Glenn has his too. The head coach of the Jets was still a cornerback for the Jets back then, playing in what would wind up being his last season for the team. It was a Tuesday morning, which meant it was an off day for the team but Glenn, who was dealing with a knee injury that year, was in the training room in the team’s facility at Hofstra. He was also on the phone with his wife.
Tom Rock: John Harbaugh, Aaron Glenn face different challenges but the same goal of turning Giants, Jets into winners
There was a point right in the middle of a steamy camp workout one afternoon in New Jersey last month when new Giants coach John Harbaugh blew his whistle and sent the entire team to one corner of the field. It wasn’t exactly clear what was happening as the players and coaches milled about in a very tight space between the end zone and the temporary barrier that separated the football from the construction taking place on the facility. Was this some kind of punishment? A pep talk?
Tom Rock's NFL power rankings entering the 2026 season
1. RAMS. The only team that may be more “all in” than the Rams in any sport may be the neighboring Dodgers. They certainly seem intent on winning one more Super Bowl with Matthew Stafford at quarterback and brought in reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to make that happen. After that, who knows where things go. Stafford might leave. Sean McVay might, too. For now, though, the Rams are the clear cream of the league. 2. BRONCOS.
Giants reach deals on contract extensions with starting guard Jon Runyan Jr., backup QB Jameis Winston
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Giants extend starting guard Runyan Jr., backup QB Winston
Geno Smith says it's too early to write off Jets WR Adonai Mitchell And Geno knows a thing or two about being written off. There are legitimate reasons for optimism if you're a New York Jets fan heading into 2026. …
Tom Rock: Former Jets coach Robert Saleh isn't losing sleep over Week 1 opener against old team
It’s comical how much time and effort has been spent around here trying to crawl inside Robert Saleh’s gloriously bald head to figure out what’s rattling ‘round in there. Ever since he was named head coach of the Titans in January and we knew he would have to play the Jets this season, and then more so since the schedule was released in the spring and it was announced that this contest would take place in Week 1, the narrative has been all about his motivations in facing the team that canned him.
Tom Rock's Super Bowl predictions . . . for the next 10 NFL seasons!
Prediction markets being all the rage these days, we thought it would be fun to look ahead and try to guess who will win not just this season’s Super Bowl but each of the next 10. Obviously, there is no way of knowing how the league will unfold during the course of the next decade, but chances are the same elements that drive teams to championships now — a quarterback, a head coach and a defense — will be the keys moving forward.
Tom Rock: Cam Skattebo, Braelon Allen give Giants, Jets a smash-mouth running attack
There are not many similarities between the Giants and Jets these days. One brought in a proven Super Bowl-winning coach, the other has one who has yet to prove he is up to the job. One has a second-year starting quarterback, the other has a second-time-around one. One is hoping to exceed fairly low outside expectations and the other . . . Well, maybe they do have a few things in common.
5 under-the-radar players who could make a big impact for the Giants this season
Everyone is going to have an eye on Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers this season. It’s hard to ignore Cam Skattebo and Odell Beckham Jr. And there is a lot of excitement about Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, Arvell Reese and Tremaine Edmunds across the middle of that defense. But there are plenty of other Giants players who are a little under the radar heading into the opener but should make an impact on this upcoming season nonetheless.
Watch your mouth, Giants fans
Turns out Giants fans don’t just wear blue. They talk blue, too. An analysis by ActionNetwork.com of over 2.5 million comments from the subreddits of all 32 NFL teams found that Giants fans were “the most foul-mouthed” in the league. The study said 14.98% of their comments contained curse words, tops among all fanbases. A close second were, surprisingly enough, fans of the Colts. They had swear words in 14.88% of their posts. Daniel Jones seems to be the common denominator here. Third place?
Tom Rock: Giants have completely bought in to coach John Harbaugh's optimistic approach
When John Harbaugh took the job as head coach of the Giants in January, he said the goal was to win a championship. It’s easy to make such claims at introductory press conferences. Nothing has occurred yet in terms of the roster or the coaching staff. Back then, the Giants didn’t even know who they’d be drafting or what their schedule would look like.
Joe Schoen's thoughts on NFL rookies going back to college
Joe Schoen may be one of the few GMs in the league who is excited about at least one aspect of the new rules regarding players returning to college after spending time in the NFL. “I played four years,” he said on Wednesday of his career as a quarterback and wide receiver at DePauw. “With a fifth-year year, at 47, maybe I can go back.
Things got sketchy at Giants practice today
No pics or videos at Giants practice today so here is a drawing of Nabers and Beckham stretching in proximity to each other in the end zone. pic.twitter.com/mjSIiU0eMX — Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) September 2, 2026 And here is Stroud punting to Berrios. pic.twitter.com/Ea83VbTseD — Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) September 2, 2026 Video Player is loading. Current Time 0:00 Duration 0:30 Remaining Time -0:30 Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Practice makes perfect? Will Harbaugh's intense camp produce better results?
When the Giants opened their preseason with 10 practices in 11 days in West Virginia and then continued on that heavy pace once they returned to New Jersey for the rest of the summer, it was a notable change from the way things used to be run. For Isaiah Likely, the tight end who followed John Harbaugh here from the Ravens, it was business as usual. “I feel like that’s normal to me,” he said on Thursday. “If I wake up, I’m putting on cleats, that’s just the mantra I have.
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