Giants OT Calls Out T.J. Watt: ‘He Had One Impact Play’
New York Giants right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor’s comment of wanting All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt on an island didn’t age well in Monday night’s 26-18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Watt had two sacks, the second of which a drive-killing strip sack of Daniel Jones late in the fourth quarter. In total, Watt had seven tackles (five solos), two sacks, two quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
J.J. Watt, along with Steelers outside linebackers Nick Herbig and DeMarvin Leal, trolled Eluemunor on social media for asking for 1-on-1 reps against T.J. J.J. posted a meme on X that said, “You sure about that?” along with a screenshot of Eluemunor’s remark.
Leal wrote on X, “When yo team needed you most gang you ate yo words ???.”
Herbig posted a still photo of Watt’s strip sack with the caption, “What Island??”
Watt said afterward that he was aware of the comments made by Eluemunor, but took the high road after the victory, saying they didn’t provide any additional motivation that contribution to his performance.
Despite Watt having a standout performance, Eluemunor claims he made only one impact play.
“I’m not gonna sit here and fricking hype him up when you go watch the tape and see what he did all night,” Eluemunor told WFAN Daily’s Sal Licata on Tuesday. “He didn’t do anything for three-and-a-half quarters and he had one impact play.”
“Like I said, I’m confident,” Eluemunor added. “I said last week I wanna be on an island with him. I was on an island with him for a majority of the game. And he didn’t do a damn thing. So I’m not gonna site here and fricking sing his praises. I’m not like that and never will be.”
Watt’s strip sack and fumble recovery came on a busted play by the Giants. Quarterback Daniel Jones screwed up the protection.
“We had a shift with the tight end to get back over to Watt and we didn’t get the shift,” Giants head coach Brian Daboll said after the game. “We talked about it. [Daniel Jones] feels terrible. He was kind of surveying the coverage, deciding what he wanted to do and we didn’t get the shift.’’
Jones took the blame for the mishap.
“I needed to shift,” he said. “Theo [Johnson] was looking at the coverage and I didn’t shift him and Jermaine expected me chip, and he didn’t get that. That’s my fault.”
Eluemunor was not terrible against Watt, but when it mattered the most he failed to deliver. Watt might have had only “one impact play,” but it was crucial one in an 8-point win.
RELATED: Steelers OLB T.J. Watt Takes High Road after Being Called Out by Giants OT
Alan Saunders provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
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