As shared by Justin Tasch of the New York Post, former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick ripped the New York Giants’ offensive line earlier this week and said the club has “a guy at left tackle” in Joshua Ezeudu “who shouldn’t be playing left tackle” with Andrew Thomas sidelined due to an injury.
Ezeudu reacted to Belichick’s comment while speaking with Darryl Slater of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com on Thursday.
“He’s entitled to his own opinion,” Ezeudu said. “He’s a former coach. Now, I guess, a commentator and analyst. So everybody is entitled to their own opinion. People have probably said things about him that he doesn’t care about.”
Giants offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor previously clapped back at Belichick regarding the legend’s breakdown of New York’s play in last Sunday’s 28-3 loss to the rival Philadelphia Eagles. Quarterback Daniel Jones took seven sacks and passed for just 99 yards in that defeat, and The Post’s Paul Schwartz noted that Ezeudu allowed two sacks in the first quarter of the contest.
According to Schwartz, recent acquisition Chris Hubbard could replace Ezeudu in the lineup when the 2-5 Giants play at the 5-2 Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night.
“This whole time,” Ezeudu told Slater, “I’ve been trying to focus on myself — what I know I can be. I know what I can be. And I know what I am going to be. So at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.”
Ezeudu insisted that his teammates and coaches “all have confidence” that he will bounce back in a big way at Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium. With that said, individuals such as The Athletic’s Dan Duggan continue to point out that the Giants may soon bench a healthy Jones so they can escape his contract during the upcoming offseason. The reality of the situation is that head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen have millions of reasons to want Jones to avoid the type of punishment he took against the Eagles.
As of Friday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Giants as six-point underdogs versus the Steelers. It remains to be seen how much Daboll will trust Ezeudu during a game most expect New York will lose.
