Giants’ Brian Burns names ‘unsung hero’ of NY’s defense

Coach John Harbaugh’s New York Giants have plenty of problems to fix, but suddenly look like the favorites in the NFC East heading into a bye week. Giants GM Joe Schoen had a message for his team’s playoff chances, while defensive star Brian Burns made a bold statement about one of his most well known teammates.

Burns didn’t hesitate to name his choice for the Giants’ unsung hero on the defensive side of the ball, on comments made to NFL on ESPN.

“My boy Thibs (Kayvon Thibodeaux), he’s really the unsung hero in this whole thing. Even when I was on the field, he was like the glue that made it stick…He does a lot of dirty work in the run game, and he’s taken over (the SAM position) for me, so he’s the unsung hero.”

Burns suffered a season-ending right knee injury that forced the team’s 2022 No. 5 overall draft pick to step up, and show his versatility, on the field. Thibodeaux’s stats don’t jump out at fans because he hasn’t produced any sacks this season, three removed from 11.5 sacks in 2023, but Burns’ endorsement of the Giants defender shows he’s done his job well this season.

Thibodeaux has 15 tackles in seven games this season, which shows how afraid many teams are to run in his direction, or to run pass plays that could put their quarterbacks in the path of the rampaging former Oregon Ducks superstar. The Giants won’t have Burns this season, or starting QB Jaxson Dart, but they are getting the right fill-ins at the right time as the season continues to progress in the Big Apple.