Kayvon Thibodeaux Addresses Criticism of Sack Celebration

New York Giants outside linebacker Kayvn Thibodeaux told reporters on Wednesday that he was unaware that his sack of Colts quarterback Nick Foles had left the veteran injured during last week's game.

Thibodeaux has drawn heavy criticism from the Colts for his celebratory sack dance in which he laid next to the injured Foles while making snow angels. The rookie defender was also caught on camera making a "go to sleep" gesture while Foles was being attended to.

The sequence of events did not sit well with Colts interim head coach Jeff Saturday, who called them "tasteless" and "trash" during his Monday press briefing with reporters while adding that he was disappointed that his own offensive linemen did nothing to defend their teammate.

Thibodeaux dismissed the former NFL center, who spent the bulk of his 14-year career with the Colts and who remained a consultant with the organization following his retirement before being named as interim head coach after Frank Reich was fired.

"Anybody who comments on it, unless I know who they are, it doesn't really affect me," Thibodeaux said.

"I don't know who [Jeff Saturday] is. Anybody who comments on it, unless I know who they are, it doesn't really affect me."

Kayvon Thibodeaux on his snow angel celebration after sacking Nick Foles: pic.twitter.com/OQZAayKKoY
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) January 4, 2023

The exuberant rookie insisted his celebration was a by-product of his adrenaline flowing given the moment and what the game's outcome ultimately meant to the Giants, who clinched their first postseason berth since 2016 with the win.

"When you play a game, and you're high emotion, you're high adrenaline--you see Smooth (linebacker Jaylon Smith) comes in to make a hit, and he stops because of the game and the penalties and the flags and all of that. So what am I supposed to do now? Like every time I sack a quarterback, stop and look and make sure to help him up--you know what I'm saying?" he said.

"You don't play the game for anybody to get injured. But I play defense. They brought me here to be a savage and to take over the game. We preach impacting the game is affecting the quarterback. And that's what I'm here to do.

Kayvon Thibodeaux says no one with the Giants had an issue with his snow angel celebration:

"They brought me here to be a savage and take over the game. Impacting the game is affecting the quarterback. That's what I'm here to do." pic.twitter.com/dXwtENNhUU
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) January 4, 2023

"I play this game to be successful, and the only way I’m successful is if I take down quarterbacks,” he concluded.

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