Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl – really? wow.
The day after the disaster, New York Giants punter Matt Dodge insists his confidence isn’t shaken.
“[My confidence] is good. I’m still here, obviously. I came in and my locker was still here, so that was good. I’m a confident guy,” Dodge said on Monday afternoon. “Football doesn’t define me. I know it’s my job and everything, and I didn’t get it done. But I still walked out with my head high.”
Dodge, the Giants’ rookie punter, became the poster boy for the Giants’ epic collapse against the Philadelphia Eagles when he punted the ball to Eagles returner DeSean Jackson with the score tied and 14 seconds to go in the game. Jackson returned the ill-advised punt 65 yards to the end zone to complete a miraculous comeback for Philadelphia. Dodge was instructed to kick the ball out of bounds.
Dodge said on Monday that he received plenty of support from teammates, family and friends in the aftermath of one of the worst losses in franchise history.
Head coach Tom Coughlin said that he hadn’t had discussions with general manager Jerry Reese about bringing in another punter this week before the Giants face the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Dodge, whom the Giants selected in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft, said he recognized the magnitude of his mistake against the Eagles but never feared that his job was in jeopardy.
“It wasn’t like [I] bought a plane ticket tomorrow to leave,” he said. “But there’s legitimate concern every week, this is a very high-performance job. So when you don’t get it done — and obviously on that last punt [I] didn’t get it done — by God’s grace I’m still here.”
Ian Begley is a regular contributor to ESPNNewYork.com.