Antrel Rolle remains one of the most iconic New York Giants in recent memory. After all, the three-time Pro Bowler spent five of his 11 NFL seasons in New York and was a key member of the Super Bowl XLVI champion G-Men.
The 42-year-old safety has been retired from the NFL for almost a decade now, yet his heart still lies with Big Blue, especially two former teammates. The two-time AP All-Pro played with Odell Beckham Jr during his rookie season in 2014 and Jason Pierre-Paul from 2011-2014, winning a ring alongside the three-time Pro Bowl EDGE rusher.
Now career journeymen, both Beckham Jr, 32, and Pierre-Paul, 35, have openly expressed a desire to conclude their careers as Giants. And in an interview with Gambling Industry News reporter Kyle Odegard, Rolle admitted he also wants to see a reunion come to fruition so the pair can mentor the Giants’ young nucleus.
Giants’ Super Bowl-winning safety wants to see two legends back in blue
‘I’d love to see it, but that’s me being biased because those are my boys,” Rolle said in an interview with Kyle Odegard of Gambling Industry News. “I’d love to see them go out on their own terms at MetLife Stadium.”
In each of his first five full NFL seasons, the former LSU standout surpassed the 1,000-yard plateau. But since 2020, he hasn’t played a full season or eclipsed 600 receiving yards, despite winning Super Bowl LVI as a member of the Los Angeles Rams.
Even with OBJ being marred by injuries, Rolle still believes that his electrifying former teammate has what it takes to remain a difference-maker in the modern NFL landscape.
“Obviously we know Odell’s had a lot of injuries, but I still think Odell has a lot left in the tank. I just don’t feel like he’s been used properly,” Rolle said. “The last time we saw that was when he was with L.A. “We have yet to see him used like that since then.”
A return to New York could see the ex-Offensive Rookie of the Year serve as a mentor to another former Tiger in Malik Nabers, a former top-10 pick and new centerpiece of Brian Daboll’s offense.
Still, Rolle believes Beckham can revive his career if he’s put in a system that knows how to use him like the Giants do.
“If he’s healthy, I’d still say OBJ, with his route-running and the way he can separate in and out of breaks, he can be a top-15 receiver in the game today. If he’s targeted correctly.”
As for Pierre-Paul, he simply called the Florida native and two-time Super Bowl champion “an absolute freak”.
A return to East Rutherford would bring things full circle for two guys who were never given a true goodbye with Giants fans. Both players were traded in their primes, and with their careers on their last legs, they want to give back to the team that drafted them.
After all, as Rolle knows firsthand—once a Giant, always a Giant.
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