Tremaine Edmunds Embraces Fresh Start With New York Giants After Bears Exit

There’s a first time for everything, and for linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, the New York Giants’ newest inside linebacker, he’s been faced with not being deemed good enough by the Chicago Bears to work out an arrangement to stay in Chicago.

But Edmunds, who was granted permission to seek a trade only to find no takers prior to his release from Chicago, isn’t spending too much time dwelling on that, and is instead looking forward to getting started with the Giants and for head coach John Harbaugh, whom Edmunds, a self-professed Ravens fan, grew up admiring.

“That's a Hall of Fame coach,” Edmunds said of Harbaugh. You know what I mean? I've been a fan of Coach Harbaugh for a long time. I actually grew up a Ravens fan. So, I was very close with what he did and the players that he coached.”

To that point, Edmunds is well aware of how past Harbaugh teams have had a solid man in the middle, including Hall of Famer Ray Lewis, whom Edmunds said was one of his favorite players growing up.

Lewis always played with a chip on his shoulder, which is something that Edmunds admitted he’s bringing with him to East Rutherford.

“Life don't stop now that I'm going to another team. It's just now we add on to the things that we've done over there, or that I did over there. And it's kind of just bringing some of my experiences, you know what I mean?” Edmunds said.

“I'm going into year nine. I have some experience to show some of the younger guys, just as far as maybe starting off a certain way, but changing stuff around. And I'm not saying it's just my way or the highway. But I'm a firm believer that experience is the number one teacher. So, we all can learn from one another.”

Stepping up to Lead

Dec 20, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (49) poses for a television camera with cornerback Jaylon Johnson (1) after recovering a fumble against the Green Bay Packers during the third quarter at Soldier Field. | Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

The Giants' defense already had several solid core players in place, and Edmunds is one of the latest to join the group. As the projected starting middle linebacker, he knows it will be up to him to not only get everyone on the same page on the field, but off it as well.

To accomplish that, Edmunds is just going to be his own, authentic self.

“This is my ninth year going into the league, and it's always been the same mindset for me. Like, be your authentic self, and people are going to be led by somebody like that. I don't try to be somebody I'm not. Obviously, just being a good defense, being a good team, and being a good player, like you have to demand a lot out of each other,” he said.

“That's definitely one thing that each and every one of us should want out of each other. That's what brings a team together, that’s what brings players together, and that's what I've always been about all my years, not trying to show up somebody that I'm not, respecting everybody, showing love, but at the same time, like you're going to see off my work, I've always been a hard worker.

“All my teammates can vouch for it. And that's just how I truly believe you can be a good leader, a good player, and just have longevity in this league, be yourself, be your authentic self, and people are going to gravitate towards that.”

It all starts, though, with Harbaugh, and then with defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, the latter of whom will call the shots on defense for the Giants. That combination has Edmunds looking forward to getting things started.

“I'm extremely excited,” Edmunds said, adding that he was confident that this next phase would be the best of his career.

“It's definitely going to be a lot of work, but at the same time, that's what you want. You want something that's going to be hard. Anything that's worth having takes hard work and sacrifice. So, I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity, and I'm excited for this opportunity for sure.”

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