It's been a rough start to the 2023 season for Kayvon Thibodeaux. After showing great promise to end the 2022 campaign for the NY Giants, recording arguably the biggest play of the year (a strip sack touchdown against Washington that virtually sealed the Giants postseason trip), Thibodeaux has seemingly regressed.
Through two games, Thibodeaux has no sacks and just two tackles, two pressures, and one QB hit. PFF has given Thibodeaux a porous 55.8 grade to start the campaign, 86th out of 107 qualified edge-rushers. Thibodeaux recorded no tackles on Sunday, and in frustration seemingly called out Giants fans in a press conference Tuesday. What was he thinking saying this?
Kayvon Thibodeaux speaks on the mixed reactions received from fans:
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) September 19, 2023
"Even early in the game our own fans are booing us and giving up on us... you start to realize that the only people that matter are the people in the room and the people who are really here for us, is us." pic.twitter.com/rw1uWY68Z6
NY Giants fans are not happy with Kayvon Thibodeaux for his latest comments
Look, it is understandable for Thibodeaux to be frustrated. He was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, but he has failed to live up to the hype. He was expected to take a sophomore jump in 2023, and while there is still plenty of time left to do so, the first two weeks of the year have been rough for him.
Kayvon said he wanted to be the next Michael Strahan, which means he is going to have to learn to take some heat. Complaining about Giants fans booing is a very bad look. Was Giants Nation supposed to be happy that the team was outscored 60-0 to start the season, and trailed 20-0 at halftime to the lowly Cardinals? New York has a rowdy fanbase, and that fanbase has every right to boo when they are watching historically awful football.
Thibodeaux has also been under fire for a video that showed the young Giants pass-rusher sitting on the opposite end of the bench from the rest of his teammates late in the game. He defended himself for that on Tuesday too.
In the video that surfaced of him on the bench by himself as other players were celebrating, Kayvon Thibodeaux says that he meditates and prays in moments like the end of the Giants-Cardinals game: pic.twitter.com/Z2w5C3gHU2
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) September 19, 2023
The outrage about Thibodeaux praying and meditating by himself at the end of the bench is a little outlandish, but when a player is under fire, it is going to come from all directions.
The Oregon product is immenesly talented and his teammates need to put their arms around him and help get him back into gear. Azeez Ojulari returning from injury to play alongside Thibodeaux would be huge for both Big Blue's D and the second-year EDGE, but his status for Thursday is up in the air. As for Thibodeaux's comments toward the fans - he'd be wise to issue an apology as soon as possible.