Ex-Giants linemen clash gets ugly with ‘quitting’ claims
Even Bobby Hart’s attempt to block responsibility backfired.
Retired lineman Geoff Schwartz, the recipient of a vicious shot from Hart after he was cut, continued to defend himself Tuesday, saying Hart quit on the team and had to be let go, and that he’s sure the Giants wish Ereck Flowers would follow him out the door.
On Saturday, after new general manager Dave Gettleman cut Hart, the 2015 seventh-round pick appeared to admit giving up on the team, saying in a since-deleted tweet to Schwartz, “Maybe i learned shutting down from you.”
Schwartz, who played 13 games in two Giants seasons, both lost to leg fractures, teed off on the former Giants right tackle first on Twitter, then, Tuesday, on WFAN.
Schwartz said he heard Hart and Flowers “decided this week that they were kinda mentally going to check out. They were both a little banged up and decided they don’t want to play. They came in some point this week and said, ‘Look, we’re not playing this week.’
“I would say that’s a bold move with any staff in place, but with a new GM who explicitly came out and said he wants tough players, he wants Giants guys, he wants a physical team, he wants guys who want to be there … and demand to not play. It goes to show you how they both were coddled to get to that point.
“As an offensive lineman, I’ve never seen that happen before. I’ve played through a ton of injuries. I know other offensive linemen who’ve played through a ton of injuries all the time. Last season, Weston Richburg played through a terrible [hamstring] injury the entire season, did not complain about it once. … I’m glad Gettleman made the move. I think if he has the opportunity to get rid of Flowers, he would do it. But there’s a lot more involved in getting rid of him.”
The “more involved” is a contract for the 2015 first-round pick. Schwartz was teammates with Hart and Flowers during their rookie seasons, when he played 11 games before his leg snapped — which Hart suggested showed him how to quit.
“Normally I do not go and at- tack people on Twitter, but I thought that needed to be called out because 1) he’s factually wrong,” said Schwartz, who works for SB Nation, SiriusXM NFL Radio and ESPN Radio. “… I played every snap that year until I broke my leg, so that’s factually just not true. I’m not going to argue with people who want to debate whether or not I was good … but if you’re going to challenge me on my work ethic or my dedication to the game, that I will fire back at you because that’s uncalled for.”