Giants Name Nick Gates Starting Center
Giants head coach Joe Judge confirmed that Nick Gates would start at center for the team's opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night.
"Nick has done a good job for us through camp," Judge said during a Saturday video call with reporters.
"Spencer has done a tremendous job competing. We're very happy with both of guys on our roster, and we're very fortunate to have both guys working at the center position.
"Nick brings a lot of flexibility at other positions, but that's the direction we're going to go with right now."
Gates, now in his third season, has taken most of the reps this summer at center.
However, Judge insisted all this week that there was still a competition between Gates and veteran Spencer Pulley, a competition that the coaches hoped to wrap up by Friday.
Gates, an undrafted free agent out of Nebraska in 2018, originally came into the NFL listed as an offensive tackle. He spent his rookie season on injured reserve, but last year, he was a valuable backup who stepped in at both guard and tackle when injuries struck the offensive line.
Earlier this summer, the Giants rewarded Gates with a two-year $6.825 million contract extension.
Giants' offensive line coach Marc Colombo has praised Gates' development throughout camp, saying that Gates is the "alpha male you want at center."
Gates, who has credited Pulley with helping him learn the position, has a tough test ahead of him against a Steelers defense that is very complex.
True to form, he and Pulley have been hard at work, spending extra time this week in the film room to bounce observations off each other.
"Me and Spencer came in on Tuesday on our off day and probably watched film for about two, three hours extra, just kind of talked through a couple things," Gates said.
Gates admitted that he'd likely have butterflies in his stomach come Monday night, but he added that comes with it being his first game of the new season.
"I think it’s just the first game of the football season, especially this year, it will be a lot different," he said. "But I’m excited. I think it’s good to have butterflies."
