He’s a key player
Giants’ Andrew Thomas goes long for music
A few days before Andrew Thomas was selected fourth overall by the New York Giants in the 2020 draft, the NFL tweeted a video of him playing the keyboard and his girlfriend Ashley-Ann Wynter belting out a soulful rendition of Beyoncé’s “Halo.”
The impressive performance from the then-University of Georgia students went viral — and gave Giants fans a sneak preview of the left tackle’s versatility off the field.
“It blew up. I was really surprised how many people saw it,” Thomas, 23, told The Post. “I was just nervous to play the keyboard. She’s a more talented person,” he said of Wynter, 23, an aspiring singer-songwriter.
‘It’s therapy’
Fast-forward to his third year in the NFL: The Giants are an improbable 7-2 and, until last week, Thomas was the NFL’s top-rated offensive lineman, according to Pro Football Focus. (He’s now No. 2 on the list.)
And the couple is still singing together — only the music is even sweeter these days.
“I’m a little more tired, but the morale is definitely better when I come home,” said the Lithonia, Ga., native.
At their New Jersey townhouse, they croon R&B and gospel tunes, and he tosses her TikTok singing challenges. Time permitting, Thomas accompanies Wynter on his keyboard, which is next to a drum set and a Ms. Pac-Man machine, customized with his Giants number and the Georgia logo — a gift from quarterback Daniel Jones to his offensive line.
“It’s therapy. It’s my time to relax and focus on something other than football, which is a huge part of my life,” Thomas said of playing the piano. “[It’s] time away, doing something that’s not so harshly judged. [Ashley-Ann] loves it, and my family does, too. The more songs I can play, the more we can sing together.”
Thomas and Wynter, who has a biology degree from Georgia, both come from musical families. They met as kids in church.
“One of my best friends is his cousin, and she brought me to church one weekend. Drew fell in love with me,” said Wynter, adding that they didn’t date until college, where he was a big football star.
“Then she fell in love with me,” Thomas quipped.
Wynter learned to sing from her grandfather, a song leader in church, and Thomas, a talented percussionist, played the drums in the band at school.
“Music was my first love. I remember growing up and being in day care, ‘Drumline’ was my favorite movie. It was PG-13, so I used to have to ask my mom for permission to watch it,” he said.
When he got to college, he had to give up band for football, but still needed to scratch his instrumental itch. So, he taught himself the piano with YouTube videos. He has yet to take lessons.
Ready for their debut
“I can sometimes play songs by ear, but I want to get formal training,” said Thomas. He and Wynter recently learned Beyoncé’s “Sandcastles.”
The soulful number is a departure from the tunes he blasts on game day — mostly hip-hop artists like Lil Baby and Meek Mill.
Coach Brian Daboll is a huge Biggie fan, Thomas said: “He’s always playing him in the locker room and on the field.”
His fellow G-men are more aware of his blocking skills than his ability to tickle the ivories. In fact, most days, their audience solely consists of their American Akita pup, Apollo.
However, the Tao Group — which just opened piano bar Silver Lining lounge at Marriott’s Moxy hotel on the Lower East Side — has extended an open invitation for the couple to perform in the off-season. Thomas is “still processing” the offer.
“This is more of a hobby for me,” he said. “But she’s talented enough to be writing and singing professionally.”
Wynter doesn’t disagree. “I wouldn’t mind being a superstar,” she said.