Malik Nabers breaks silence on altercation with Brian Daboll on Giants’ sideline

The New York Giants’ season-opening loss brought some fallout, some of which was caught on camera during the game. Malik Nabers and Brian Daboll had a heated exchange on the sideline, though the reasons behind it were initially unclear.

Following his team’s loss to the Commanders, the explosive wide receiver spoke to the media and addressed the reasons behind the uncomfortable situation on the visiting bench.

“I mean, I said I was going to speak up, when it was time for me to speak up, but just trying to get guys going, trying to get everything going,” Nabers said, via a transcript from the team.

“I felt like we were lacking out there. The energy wasn’t right. So, I took it upon myself to try to boost people up. It’s two competitive people going at it. He wants to win; I want to win. I feel like that’s the reason he got me over here is because of how me and him are just alike. So, it was two people just going at it, we trying to get the same outcome.”

Daboll’s perspective

It’s clear that the Giants’ debut in this new NFL season didn’t go as expected. While the matchup against the Commanders on the road was always going to be a tough test, the team’s performance fell well short of what head coach Brian Daboll had hoped for.

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As a way to ease tensions and downplay the sideline incident with Nabers, the head coach made it clear that it was simply an in-game moment and that everything was resolved then and there.

“Two competitive people understanding that where we are at right now, or offensively, is not where we want to be,” Daboll stated to the press.

Trouble for Wilson in his debut

The much-anticipated New York Giants debut of veteran quarterback Russell Wilson fell flat on Sunday, as the team’s offense sputtered in a lopsided loss to the Washington Commanders.

The Giants’ new signal-caller struggled to find a rhythm, with his performance doing little to inspire confidence among the fan base. Wilson went 17 of 37 with no TDs in Giants debut, leading an offense that was held to just two field goals and a total of 231 yards.

The former Super Bowl champion was under constant pressure from the Washington defensive front, and the Giants‘ offensive line appeared unable to protect him. This disappointing start has already raised questions about Wilson’s long-term future as the team’s starter and whether the Giants may look to rookie Jaxson Dart sooner rather than later.