Rex: ‘Slap in face’ to Eli
Rex Ryan might have had Geno Smith’s back in the past, but he’s miffed by the Giants’ decision to effectively end Eli Manning’s career with the franchise.
“Good for Geno, but I don’t understand it,” Ryan told the Daily News Tuesday upon hearing that his former quarterback will start Sunday. “Eli Manning has been a hell of a player in this league a long-ass time. He’s one of the most durable guys in the history of the sport and started a million games in a row. He’s why you got all those Super Bowl rings. For him to go out like this is odd. It’s bizarre.”
Smith started 29 games for Ryan’s Jets in 2013 and 2014 after Gang Green took him in the second round of the 2013 draft. He went 11-18 as a starter for Ryan with 25 touchdown passes and 41 turnovers.
He helped the Jets win eight games as a rookie before falling apart in what turned out to be Ryan’s final season. Smith famously missed a team meeting the night before the Jets’ shutout loss in San Diego in 2014 because he got confused about the three-hour time difference on the West Coast.
Smith will make his first start for the Giants in Oakland. The Giants better assign an intern to make sure Smith steers clear of all nearby movie theaters and shows up to all team meetings out there.
“I’m happy for Geno,” said Ryan, who’s in his first year as an ESPN analyst. “He gets another shot. Geno’s a good kid, but at the same time, I hate to see any player that’s really one of the stars of this game be treated like this. I think it’s a slap in the face to a great veteran player. To me, it’s unfortunate. This guy’s given everything to that team. He meant so much to them. They don’t have any of those rings without him.”
Locker room dysfunction. Irrelevant by Thanksgiving. And now Geno Smith.
The Giants have officially become the Jets.
“It’s almost like the Giants already made a deal that nobody knows about where they’re going to release Eli and let him go to Jacksonville,” Ryan said in disbelief. “I don’t know. But it doesn’t make any sense to treat a player like this that’s meant so much to your franchise. I don’t understand it. But, hey, it’s their football team. They got two wins.”
Ryan commended Manning’s dedication by maintaining that “Eli was in the best shape I’ve ever seen in the offseason” and chided the two-time Super Bowl MVP’s supporting cast.
“Who the hell is he throwing to? He’s not throwing to anybody,” Ryan said. “The Engram kid looked great early and now he can’t catch anything. I don’t get it. You’re going to blame that on Eli? I don’t understand it.” Few do.