New York Giants right tackle Evan Neal will learn an important lesson this week.
He’ll learn it’s a very bad idea to ridicule fans — the people who pay his salary — as “sheep” who “flip hamburgers” somewhere.
That’s exactly what Neal said Wednesday when asked about what transpired Monday night at MetLife Stadium. The Giants got hammered by the Seattle Seahawks, 24-3. The offensive line gave up 10 sacks on quarterback Daniel Jones, and fans booed the home team.
Neal, the No. 7 overall pick in 2022, heard the boos, and as the team headed to the locker room at halftime, he egged the fans on, raising his arm to the crowd.
“They were booing us, so I said, ‘Boo louder!’” Neal told NJ Advance Media Wednesday.
If Neal had stopped there, he might have been OK. Unfortunately, he did not stop there. He said he doesn’t care what fans think, and not in a nice way.
“Why would a lion concern himself with the opinion of a sheep?” Neal said (via NJ.com). “The person that’s commenting on my performance, what does he do? Flip hot dogs and hamburgers somewhere?”
Neal kept going.
“And how can you say you’re really a fan when we’re out there battling our ***** off — and the game wasn’t going well — but the best you can do is boo your home team? So how much of a fan are you, really?” he said.
Neal said he doesn’t care what the fans say about him or the team.
“I’m just going to focus on Evan — and getting better,” he said. “I honestly do not care what anybody has to say about Evan Neal, because they’re going to talk anyway.”
Many Giants fans are already calling Neal a bust. His outburst Wednesday is not going to help matters, if the reaction on social media is any indication.
Fair weather fans doesn't even make sense. The fans are obviously watching if they're getting on you for playing terrible. If they were fair weather fans they wouldn't watch you get toasted regularly.
— Giants Check Down (@GiantsCheckDown) October 4, 2023
I’m sure one of the 15 captains they have on this team will pull the young man aside to provide some guidance and say this isn’t best look.
— GateDAsInDog (@GateDasinDog) October 4, 2023
Won’t have to worry about boos much longer. Pretty soon that place will be filled with fans from opposing teams who will cheer every sack they give up.
— GateDAsInDog (@GateDasinDog) October 4, 2023
If he played competent football no one would say a word
— Bryan Gallagher (@Bgall15) October 4, 2023
Fair weather? The fans were behind the team until Evan’s offensive line almost got Jones killed. The professional response would have been to take responsibility for that disaster.
— S. B. Roberts (@maravillage44) October 4, 2023
This isn’t a fight that a guy that has performed the way he has wants to pick..
— RJ (@RJC__XIII) October 4, 2023
He probably allowed a sack while saying this
— Armand (@Armand27) October 4, 2023
With the cost of tickets there probably aren’t many McDonald’s workers, nothing against them, booing at games. This will not go over well with the season tickets holders like myself. Play better!
— Rob_in_CT (@rob_in_CT) October 4, 2023
[NJ.com]