New York Daily News

Dave news rocks Giants

- Giants are on target as minicamp nears with (from l.) Eli Manning starting again, Will Hernandez cranky, GM Dave Gettleman focused, Saquon Barkley all smiles and Nate Solder unifying offensive line. BY JOHN HEALY

AP AND GETTY

As the Giants wrapped up Tuesday’s Organized Team Activities, head coach Pat Shurmur called for a team meeting that caught the players off guard. It was to inform them that GM Dave Gettleman had been diagnosed with lymphoma.

The news shocked the locker room, according to several Giants who were at Lucky Strikes Bowling in Midtown for the “Fourth Annual Children of the City Charity Bowl” on Wednesday.

“It was tough,” said receiver Sterling Shepard, who was co-hosting the event. “That guy is a strong guy just from what I know being around him the last few months. He’s a tough guy and he’ll beat it.”

Gettleman, 67, was hired by the Giants at the end of last season and has been tasked with rebuilding an immediate contender after a 3-13 season. He hired Shurmur in February and made his next big splash by selecting Penn State running back Saquon Barkley with the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft in April.

“He’s a part of why I’m here on this team and got drafted by the New York Giants,” Barkley said. “It sucks to hear that about someone you care about. At the same time, you know who he is and the type of person he is and the competitiv­e nature he is. … Sounds like he’s in very high spirits and knows for sure everyone on the team has his back and we’ll continue to pray for him.”

Rookie guard Will Hernandez, who the Giants selected in the second round, also feels a personal connection to Gettleman and was devastated by the news.

“The fact it was somebody who has recently become so close and dear to me that was even worse,” Hernandez said. “From the short time I know Gettleman he is strong and always has positive attitude so I’m not too worried about him.”

Meanwhile, the Giants spent the remainder of the night supporting “Children of the City” — an organizati­on that supports disadvanta­ge children in New York City.

It is an organizati­on that former Giants receiver David Tyree has worked closely with in the past and has passed the torch to Shepard and his wife, supermodel Chanel Iman, as the ones to co-host the event.

“(Tyree) brought the idea to us and we thought it was a great idea to jump on it and help the children,” Shepard said. “Kids look up to us and you never know what life you can touch when you’re out and about in the community.”

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