New York Giants Name 2020 Team Captains
The Giants named quarterback Daniel Jones, running back Saquon Barkley, linebacker Blake Martinez, defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, defensive back Jabrill Peppers and special teams ace Nate Ebner as captains for 2020.
The selections, made via a secret players only ballot, represents five first-time captains (Jones, Martinez, Tomlinson, Peppers, Ebner) and one carry over (Barkley) from last season.
"We just preached to the players that make sure you take your time and decide who you want to represent you," Judge said earlier this week.
"It's not a popularity contest; you're picking people to represent the team when we meet on a weekly basis with the captains.
"Leadership is about doing your job well, it's about putting the team first and it's about being unselfish ... You've got to be able to bring people with you to be a leader, otherwise, you're just up there giving speeches."
Here is a look at the Giants players voted to be captains for 2020.
QB Daniel Jones, Offense
The 2020 season will mark Jones' first season as an NFL captain but it's not a role he is new to. Jones was a team captain at Duke for his junior and senior seasons in 2017-18 and led the team to a winning record both seasons. Jones also led Duke to victories in the 2017 Quick Lane Bowl and 2018 Independence Bowl.
Jones already holds a leadership presence as the team's starting quarterback and is believed to be part of Judge's leadership council.
The quarterback has also taken several initiatives in the offseason and throughout training camp to establish himself as a team leader, such as holding private workouts for teammates earlier in the spring and being chosen to break down the team's huddle at the second scrimmage, something that long-time starter Eli Manning never did during his tenure as a team captain.
RB Saquon Barkley, Offense
Barkley will retain his title as team captain, which he originally earned in 2019, just his second season in the NFL.
Like Jones, Barkley also served as a team captain in college. Barkley was named captain his senior year at Penn State in 2017 and received the Captain's Award at the team's annual awards banquet.
Barkley is also the only remaining Giant on offense to have been voted to a Pro Bowl recently.
LB Blake Martinez, Defense
Martinez, a newcomer to the Giants after signing a three-year $30 million contract this offseason, will now be a key communicator both on and off the field.
Martinez is set to be the "quarterback of the defense" as the team's primary middle linebacker and his command over the rest of the defense will be critical in ensuring that players are in the right position and carry out the right task.
Martinez served as a defensive captain last year for the Green Bay Packers. He also boasts a connection to defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. The two were paired in Green Bay when Graham served as Packers linebacker coach in 2018.
Earlier this summer, Martinez spoke about his desire to be a "rock" for his teammates.
“For me, it’s just being able to allow those guys to understand that I’m going to be on top of everything from checks, making sure people are lined up in the right position, that I am that calming factor," he said.
“Whether it’s walkthroughs, talking in meetings, guys start to recognize this guy knows what going on, this guy is going to allow me to not have any freak moments. If things are moving fast, ‘He’s the guy that I can turn to and calm myself down.’”
DT Dalvin Tomlinson, Defense
Tomlinson, a second-round pick out of Alabama in 2017, has been on the Giants longer than any other team captain selected for 2020, and has had to play through three losing seasons while adjusting to three different head coaches.
But now in 2020, Tomlinson has some familiarity with Judge, who was part of Alabama's coaching staff during Tomlinson's recruiting process back in 2011, and with defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, the Giants' defensive line coach during Tomlinson's rookie season in 2017.
Tomlinson will be a first-time captain in 2020. He's been an ideal leader by example during his first three seasons with the Giants, and the picture of reliability, starting all 48 games for the Giants while showing improvement each year.
DB Jabrill Peppers, Special Teams
Peppers is entering his second season with the Giants after being acquired via trade from the Cleveland Browns last offseason as part of the return for wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
The New Jersey native, who last year contributed as a punt returner for the team, is a fiery type who is not only vocal on special teams, but also on the defense.
As the team's projected starting strong safety, Peppers, a first-time team captain, will also be a key communicator in the secondary.
S/ST Nate Ebner, Special Teams
Like Tomlinson, Ebner also boasts ties to head coach Joe Judge. During Judge's stint coaching the New England Patriots special teams (2012-19), Ebner was a staple.
Ebner has not held the title of special teams captain in his career, but has had one of the best role models in New England with Patriots special teams ace Matthew Slater.
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Wide receiver Sterling Shepard, the longest-tenured Giant, was not voted a team captain, but don't expect that to bother Shepard.
"If that’s how my team views me, then I’d be happy to take that role," he said Monday before the result of the vote was likely made known to the players.
"But if not, I’m also happy to take a different leadership role, just because you’re only allowed so many guys to be captains and I clearly understand that. Pretty much my whole career, I’ve never been voted a captain. But I’ve always been a leader in my own way, so that’s what I’ll continue to do."
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This year due to COVID-19 rules, only one captain may take part in the pre-game coin toss.
But that surely won't diminish the importance of being recognized as a captain any more for the players selected, as these players, who are also part of head coach Judge's leadership council, will serve as mentors for their teammates in the locker room a far more important responsibility
