Blake Martinez: ‘Sky’s the limit’ for Giants in 2021
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Last March, the New York Giants inked veteran linebacker Blake Martinez to a three-year, $30 million free agent contract in an effort to change their culture and fortunes.
Martinez was a fourth-round pick out of Stanford back in 2016 by the Green Bay Packers who led the NFL in total tackles in 2017 and finished second and third in the league the next two years.
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In his first season with the Giants last year, Martinez made 151 total tackles, fourth-highest in the league, and played 94.7 percent of the defensive snaps as a defensive captain.
Coning from a winning environment in Green Bay, Martinez, in a recent interview on an Arizona radio station, outlined the difference between playing for the Packers and playing for Joe Judge’s Giants.
“I think the biggest difference between both is the age of the given guys on either team. I think in Green Bay, it was a lot of older, veteran guys, where in New York it was a lot of young guys still in that college mindset and everyone hung out with each other and had that camaraderie. Not that we didn’t have that camaraderie in Green Bay, but it felt more like a high school (or) college vibe in New York,” Martinez said.
Year 1 in New York was not as successful as many had hoped for the Giants, finishing 6-10 and out of the playoffs. Martinez is excited about Year 2 after the Giants added some key pieces in free agency and the draft.
“It’s awesome. Throughout the whole thing, I was excited, especially with the free agency process and the guys we brought in on offense and defense. In the draft, we got multiple defensive guys — a couple outside linebackers, a cornerback, the list goes on. The sky’s the limit, and I think the potential is there, but each and everyday as a group, we just have to keep going back to that foundation and that culture and put that work in to be able to reach that potential. If we do that, I think it’s going to be a very successful year.”
Giants fans will love the confidence, but now Martinez and the team have to start winning.
