Once a Face in the Giants Training Camp Crowds, Dion Lewis Will Now Be a Face on the Roster

Giants running back Dion Lewis spent part of his youth growing up in New Jersey, but it's the numerous summers spent in Albany, New York, the former site of the Giants training camp, which Lewis fondly remembers.

Growing up in Albany, New York, Dion Lewis was a frequent visitor to the Giants' training camps, which from 1996-2013 were held on the SUNY-Albany grass fields.

The Giants' training camp location has since moved to its East Rutherford, New Jersey headquarters, and now so will Lewis, who signed a one-year deal with the Giants.

And unlike his days as a youth, Lewis will be right in the thick of things at training camp when it eventually starts up.

"I grew up a Giants fan," Lewis told reporters during a conference call held Friday. "It was always a dream of mine to get to play for them, so when I got the opportunity, under any circumstances, I couldn't pass it up."

After playing his first two years of high school football at Albany Academy, Lewis transferred to Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey in 2007, about an hour drive from the old Giants Stadium.

Lewis got to see his favorite team win a Super Bowl in his first stint playing in New Jersey, but he made some history of his own at Blair as well. He was the recipient of New Jersey Prep Offensive Player of the Year honors, Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) Offensive Player of the Year honors, and was named first-team All-New Jersey Prep and All-MAPL as a senior in 2008.

As Blair's leading rusher in his two seasons there, Lewis led the team to a 17-1 record, and a New Jersey Prep state title.

Many of the traits that made Lewis a popular locker room presence in the NFL manifested in his time at the New Jersey prep school. Lewis has built a reputation as one of the league's more humble and down-to-earth players, aside from one instance in 2018.

Blair football coach Jim Saylor foresaw many of the traits that have made Lewis a respected veteran. In a 2017 article appearing in the New Jersey Herald, Saylor said that Lewis had a presence that "made you stop and take notice” while Blair's current associate head of school Ryan Pagotto, the school's dean of admission in 2007, said Lewis was a “young man with strong character.”

“He had a wide smile and a pleasant disposition,” Pagotto said. “Everybody liked Dion; his friends, teammates, and teachers agreed he was just an all-around nice guy who was down-to-earth.”

Lewis carried that character into college, where at Pittsburgh, he crossed paths with another future Giant, fullback Henry Hynoski.

Lewis was drafted in the fifth round by the Eagles in 2011, for whom he played two seasons. He then spent the 2013 season with eh Browns and the 2014 season with the Colts before crossing paths with current Giants head coach Joe Judge, then a special teams coordinator in New England starting in 2015.

After New England let Lewis walk following the 2017 season, Lewis spent the last two seasons in Tennessee. After a 34-10 Titans win over the Patriots in 2018, Lewis made light of the satisfaction that came with beating the team that didn't try to re-sign him.

"It's a real sweet win, especially when you used to be there, and they didn't want to bring you back. Definitely real sweet," Lewis said. "It's personal. That's what happens when you go cheap. You get your ass kicked."

While that one post-game outburst is the one instance of Lewis breaking his otherwise classy and quiet character, it doesn't appear to have soured his relationship with Giants head coach Judge. Lewis claims that his relationship with Judge is part of what led him to acquire this opportunity in New York.

With the Giants, Lewis will likely work as Saquon Barkley's backup. However, given his experience and longevity in the league, Lewis figures to also serve as a source of information should Barkley want such guidance.

"I think we can help make each other better. With all the running backs I’ve played with, I’ve learned things from (them), and they have learned things from me," Lewis said of working with Barkley.

"Me being a little older guy, I have some experience with some things. He’s a great player; there’s not much he can’t do. I’m looking forward to working with him, competing with him, learning from him, and just doing that relationship with him. Build a great relationship with him so we can make the room better and hopefully make the team better."