Giants players send defiant message to those who want them to tank rest of season

The 2-12 New York Giants would pick first in the 2026 NFL Draft if the season ended ahead of Week 16. That reality and the overall state of the Giants understandably have pockets of fans hoping the team will "tank" the rest of the campaign to remain atop the draft order. 

While speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. sent a message to those who want the team to lose its final three games of the season. 

Giants want to win out despite missing the playoffs

"We’re never gonna go out and try to lose," Tracy said, per Peter Sblendorio of the New York Daily News. "We’re not gonna just throw a game away. We’re going out there to win, point blank, period." 

It's understandable that some Giants supporters care more about the franchise's long-term future than about winning three meaningless games. If those running the Giants in 2026 believe rookie Jaxson Dart is a franchise quarterback worth building around, the club could trade the No. 1 overall pick to a QB-needy team such as the New York Jets. That said, a new head coach (and maybe a new general manager) could use the first overall selection to grab a top-tier quarterback prospect. 

"We don’t care what the outside has to say about draft picks," Tracy added. "We don’t care about what they have to say about players in college that we should get or we could get. We worry about the coach that we have right now, the players that we have right now, and the opportunities that we get to have when we go on the field."

What Giants are focused on amid lost season

The harsh truth is that the Giants may not have to "try" to lose through Week 18. Big Blue hasn't notched a win since Week 6, and DraftKings Sportsbook had the Giants as three-point underdogs for this coming Sunday's home game against the also-eliminated Minnesota Vikings (6-8). 

Nevertheless, those inside the Giants' locker room insist they aren't already making offseason vacation plans. 

"If you’re a true competitor, every time you step on the field, you’re trying to win the game," Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas said on Tuesday. "I don’t think we have guys in our locker room that are focused on that type of thing. Obviously, we haven’t gotten a win [recently], but that’s what we’re trying to do."