As an NFL player there is one rule and one rule above all that you must always follow – NEVER attack your own fans.
Attacking your own fans is the ultimate losing battle … The only thing that’s worse is when a brutally underachieving player who is playing horrible attacks his fans.
Apparently, New York Giants right tackle Evan Neal never heard of this rule.
Neal, who was drafted by Big Blue with the #7 overall pick last year, has been absolutely terrible as a Giant. He’s one of the reasons why Brian Daboll’s team is such a disaster right now.
During the Giants embarrassing performance in their 24-3 no-show loss against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football, the Big Blue faithful rightfully booed the team.
Speaking to NJ.com, Neal made it clear that he wasn’t happy about the boo’s and took the chance to unleash the hounds on the Giants fan base.
“Why would a lion concern himself with the opinion of a sheep? … The person that’s commenting on my performance, what does he do? Flip hot dogs and hamburgers somewhere?”
𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: #Giants RT Evan Neal says that the fans who criticize him probably “flip hot dogs and hamburgers somewhere” via @DarrylSlater
Evan Neal also says some of the Giants fans are “fair weather” and “bandwagons” for booing the team when things aren’t going well. He… pic.twitter.com/vTzUHFgadw
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 4, 2023
There are some people who don’t understand the thinking behind booing your own players … Those people have never lived in the northeast.
Neal has played so unbelievably poorly, as has the entire team, that they all deserved to be booed. What Neal doesn’t understand is that the booing is coming from a place of passion. It’s coming from fans who invest so much time and hard-earned money in supporting their team.
Obviously, when the team plays so horrifically bad, they’re going to be booed. (The same exact way they’ll be cheered when they play well – That’s how it goes, Evan. That’s the name of the game.)
After Neal’s offensive line gave up 11 sacks (ELEVEN!!!!!) against the Seahawks, he had the balls to call his own fans “bandwagoners” who flip burgers – clearly meaning all those peasant fans are beneath him.
Hey Evan, “bandwagon” fans only show up when times are good. “Bandwagon” fans aren’t loyal, die-hard fans who always, always, always show up to support their team no matter how good or bad times are – And that’s precisely what Giants fan do … The same exactly Giants fans who have suffered through a crap product for the better part of a decade now.
“Go watch the film,” Neal added. “I know I’m making improvements. It doesn’t matter what the outside may say or anything. You ask the guys around me and the coaching staff. I know I’m improving. And I’m going to continue to improve throughout the duration of the season.”
That’s great, Evan, but there are no participation trophies in the National Football League. It doesn’t matter that you’re “making improvements.” This is a results-oriented business and your results have been absolutely disgusting.
Neal is ranked towards the bottom of virtually every single analytic metric when it comes to offensive line play.
Evan Neal is going to be run out of this town. Bad enough he sucks, but he’s some fans hamburger flippers and ‘opinion of the sheep’. Clown! #TogetherBlue pic.twitter.com/hCetg3VVLp
— Enrique Marin (@emarin671) October 4, 2023
Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas, another high draft pick (#4 in 2020), had a very rough first season. But to his credit, he kept his mouth shut and got much, much better.
Fast forward to now, Thomas is one of the best tackles in the entire NFL.
Giants fans want that same exact development for Neal. They’re not rooting for him to fail. Quite the opposite … But Neal has to understand that he’s not in Alabama anymore. He’s not always going to be pat on the back with a “good job” comment regardless of how bad he plays.
“A lot of fans are bandwagoners,” Neal added. “I mean, I get it: They want to see us perform well. And I respect all of that. But no one wants us to perform well more than we do.”
Minus the “bandwagon” line, this is all he had to say … Giants fans know you’re trying hard (you better be!), but if you play like absolute crap during a total no-show blowout on primetime, you will be deservingly booed … Period.
Just when you thought we were making a smidge of progress, Neal fell right back down the trap and took another low-blow shot at Giants fans…
“How can you say you’re really a fan when we’re out there battling our asses off – and the game wasn’t going well – but the best you can do is boo your home team? So how much of a fan are you, really?”
Needless to say, Neal was absolutely destroyed by the entire Tri-State area for his ridiculous comments.
Leave it to Don LaGreca of ESPN Radio New York to PERFECTLY describe the thoughts of every single Giants fans upon hearing Neal’s insulting comments…
(This is a MUST-LISTEN!)
This is an AMAZING rant by Don LaGreca on Evan Neal's sorry ass. Give this a listen if you haven't yet. pic.twitter.com/cmIy2oRdxX
— KYLE (@YourFriendKyle_) October 5, 2023
Predictably, Neal ended up apologizing … But let’s be honest, Giants PR are the ones who most likely urged him to apologize – and the statement was most likely either written by a PR person or at least heavily-influenced by one…
— Evan Neal (@ENeal73) October 5, 2023
Unfortunately for Neal, the damage is already done.
What do you think about his comments???