Rakeem Nunez-Roches defends Giants QB Daniel Jones

Veteran defensive tackle says what happened Sunday went “way too far”

Rakeem Nunez-Roches, veteran defensive tackle for the New York Giants, has seen a lot in his 10 years in the NFL. He hasn’t seen anything like his team’s quarterback being harassed by fans of his own team while simply trying to get to his car.

Nunez-Roches, a happy-go-lucky sort nicknamed ‘Nacho’, said on Wednesday that seeing what happened to Jones “hurt me.”

“I really wanted to give him a hug,” Nunez-Roches said in the Giants’ locker room on Wednesday.

Nunez-Roches said the fans who went out of their way to heckle/harass Jones post-game had gone “way too far.”

“I mean, I just feel like, even the fans, you yourself, you have kids. And sometimes your kids go out there and they do their best. And sometimes they fall short. And even as a parent, you’re already hurting and you feel what your child put into that game or put into their craft and they fall short,” Nunez-Roches said. “They’re already self-conscious on themselves and beating themselves up. And just to hear other people, not the opponent team because they’re going to do that, but your own team doing that, it’s just, I feel like that’s uncalled for.

“If you want somebody to succeed, give them an environment to succeed in. You know what I’m saying? Give them a chance.”

Nunez-Roches was aware that the booing of Jones had started after just three plays — before ‘Nacho’ and his defensive teammates had even gotten onto the field.

“It’s the first game. It was the first series. And then guys are already booing him and heckling and doing things of that nature,” Nunez-Roches said. “Let the other team do that. It’s supposed to be our house. It’s supposed to be a winning culture, a winning environment.

“Well, let’s give them something to thrive off of. And that was the only thing that kind of got me. I’m like, if you all are parents or you all have kids or you all have anybody that you ever supported, just put yourself in that situation and see them going through a rough patch.You would never want them to reap that.”

When I asked him about Jones, wide receiver Jalin Hyatt also defended the quarterback.

“We all have full belief, full faith in DJ. I’m not worried about him at all,” Hyatt said. “It’s one week. We all forget that he’s coming off an ACL. This is really his first time in action and seeing it at that speed. We have ultimate faith in him and he’ll get better. We’ll get better for him.

Nunez-Roches recalled being with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018 when Jameis Winston started nine games and Ryan Fitzpatrick seven, and then Winston threw 30 interceptions as the full-time starter in 2019.

“it was never that,” said Nunez-Roches. “It was never the crowd adding insult to injury.

“Fans, be fans. Enjoy what we’re doing. Enjoy being out there and just help us. Don’t hurt us and cripple us and enable us.”

Jones’ play has often left something to be desired over his six NFL seasons. Still, his work ethic is unquestioned, he has never created unwanted headlines, and he has always represented the franchise with class. Still, he always seems to be target of some type of ridicule.

I asked Nunez-Roches why.

“I feel like, first of all, his position is easy to target. You’re going to win by QB or you’re going to lose by QB. That’s how everybody sees it,” Nunez-Roches said. “But collectively, it takes all three phases, offense, defense, especially. And we all had a part to do in that game in losing. It wasn’t just in one phase.

“And I just feel like it’s so easy to attack somebody that doesn’t say anything back. Same thing going back to school. A bully will normally bully somebody that’s not going to stand up for themselves. And in his position, that’s not his job to do. It’s up for the team to stand up and do what we need to do for him.”