Giants should think twice about re-signing Antrel Rolle

AntrelRolleGiants2
Leave it to Antrel Rolle to botch the perfect teaching moment for the Giants’ young prospects.

Meet the current vocal leader of your 4-9 Giants, and a soon-to-be free agent GM Jerry Reese should think twice about retaining next season.

No-nonsense coach Tom Coughlin made it pretty clear that he didn’t dig Rolle’s imaginary photo shoot end-zone celebration with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the fourth quarter of the Giants’ blowout win over the hapless Tennessee Titans. How did Rolle respond?

Rolle admitted that he knew his celebration was “unacceptable,” then seemingly brushed it off.

“Certain things like that, they’re going to take place,” Rolle said Tuesday on his weekly paid WFAN spot. “Certain things like that, they’re going to happen. . . When it’s all said and done, some people are gonna make a big deal of it. Some people are gonna understand the situation. That’s not really my concern. What matters to me more than anything is our confidence.”

Yeah, yeah, it was a silly moment in a blowout, but Coughlin, who has spent years preaching about team and responsibility and respect, wasn’t a fan. Coughlin has twice expressed his displeasure since Sunday, and Rolle, one of the voices of a rudderless squad that has spent all season playing with a lack of discipline, barely cared.

It’s no wonder that Coughlin has had trouble getting the Giants to play disciplined football when one of the team’s leaders thinks he can make like Bobby Boucher from “The Waterboy”when he pleases, with little regard for what his coach thinks. Rolle said his celebration was born of joy for DRC, who has struggled with injuries.

“It goes bigger than us celebrating an interception for a touchdown,” he said. “This is someone who I knew firsthand came to New York to join me and be by my side... He’s been struggling through injuries all season long.”

Admirable? Maybe. Right? Not if the coach doesn’t dig it.

And definitely not now with the Giants rebuilding around rising young stars who look to vets such as Rolle. But instead of pushing them to trust Coughlin’s guidance, Rolle shows them it’s OK to do what they want, even on the playing field.

Rolle, who turns 32 later this month, is viewed as a fiery team-first presence, but in too many moments, he has shown himself to be something else. He threw Prince Amukamara’s sex life into the headlines (a situation that Amukamara handled amicably and admirably), he called a fan a “stupid ass” on Twitter while claiming that he was playing flawless ‘D’ and now this.

The Giants should be prepared to move on. Rolle hardly seems irreplaceable, hardly a game-breaker, having dropped several interceptions and made few big plays this year.

Really, there’s just one reason to keep Rolle around: his relationship with DRC. They have a friendship that dates back to their days with the Cardinals, and Rolle helped lure DRC to East Rutherford.

But they had their moment Sunday. For the Giants, it’s time to move on. 


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(nydailynews.com)
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