5 hours Ago By Rory Robinson
On September 26, New York Giants icon Victor Cruz will be aboard a yacht for his Captain Morgan event, the same day his former team faces off against bitter NFC East rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. Speaking with Mirror U.S.
Sports, Cruz , including a New Year's Day game in 2012—a crucial victory that helped push the Giants toward their Super Bowl run that season. "Of course, man, I remember all the games," Cruz said confidently to . "It’s hard to forget the Cowboy ones.
" The rivalry game has been played 124 in NFL history, with Dallas leading the series 75-47-2. That particular game resulted in a dominant 31-14 win, and Cruz knew exactly how key it was for the season. "We needed to win that one to stay in contention, to make the playoffs, and to win our division.
That was the only route we had." Cruz recalled bringing his best to the field that day, pulling off a 178-yard performance, the second-highest total of his career. The performance included a touchdown that cemented his role as one of the best players on the team.
“I was just happy to bring my best and have one of the best performances of my career to propel us to victory.” For Cruz, Cowboys games will always hold a special place. “Scoring that one up the sideline was pretty cool, too,” he grinned to the screen.
While the is one of the most iconic in the , Cruz recalled the moments that shaped his career. “There’s so many to choose from,” he says when asked about his favorite rivalry moments in a Giants uniform. “But the biggest one for me, personally, was as an undrafted free agent trying to make the team.
My first ever catch as a professional was a one-handed, contested catch up the left sideline, wearing number three.” That Monday Night Football preseason moment against the and his famous three-touchdown game was Cruz’s “coming out party." The one that would solidify his status as a Giant.
"That was the game that really showed all my abilities from a receiver perspective. I’ll never forget it,” Cruz said. This moment made Giants fans and Cruz realize he was here to stay.
“My mom was sitting way up in the nosebleeds of that game at MetLife. It’s one of those memories you’ll never forget.” Cruz has cemented his place as one of the greatest players ever to play for the Giants, and even today’s players recognize that.
Bobby Okereke recently called Cruz his favorite Giants playmaker and Kayvon Thibodeaux placed him on his Giants Mount Rushmore , Michael Strahan, and Lawrence Taylor. "I mean, it’s incredible," Cruz said, clearly touched by the acknowledgment. "Just hearing those words out loud, knowing those guys are —it’s just incredible.
I get goosebumps just hearing it." He reflected on how he and his teammates, including Hakeem Nicks, never thought about legacy during the height of their careers. “We were just playing.
We weren’t thinking about where to rank at the end of our careers. We were just kids in our 20s playing ball." Now, Cruz takes pride in knowing that today’s generation of Giants players remember him and see him as an all-time great.
But the pressure of playing in New York is unlike anywhere else in the NFL, and Cruz has seen it firsthand. After Week 1, after a disappointing 28-6 loss to the . Two-time Pro Bowl tackle Dexter Lawrence has said he doesn’t respect fans who boo, but Cruz shed light on the intensity that comes with playing in the Big Apple.
“This comes with the territory of playing in New York,” Cruz says. “You’re not in Atlanta, you’re not in Seattle, you’re not in Chicago. You play for one of the major cities that expect greatness.
There are four championship trophies in the lobby of that building.” Cruz acknowledged that the fanbase has high standards and isn’t afraid to voice their frustrations. They've made the playoffs twice since in 2011: A Wild Card loss to the , followed by a division loss to the rival Philadelphia Eagles, who advanced to the Super Bowl.
"The fans want more, and they want better. They’re going to voice their opinions whether we like it or not." But Cruz advises today’s Giants players facing criticism to "Flush out the noise.
" "Focus on the locker room and galvanize each other as a football team. If you do that, you’ll start winning some games, and the narrative will change. The fans will be cheering for you on the positive end more than ever before," he said.
Cruz’s 2015 signature Nike Air Trainer Cruz sneaker wasn’t designed to be worn on the field—it was a lifestyle shoe. But with the return of making a retro return at the college and pro levels, Cruz admitted there’s something special about seeing players still showing passion for wanting to rock his shoe on gameday. “I think it’s incredible,” Cruz says.
“I was just on Instagram looking at all the players wearing different shoes, from Jordan 3s to Jordan 1s with cleats. It’s crazy.” While Cruz hasn’t formally discussed bringing his shoes back in cleated form with Nike, the idea excites him.
“I think the time is now. Especially that all-red one. Some of the Giants players in that all-red shoe with a cleated bottom would be sick.
” With the success of cleated versions of popular shoes across the league, Cruz feels like a cleated Air Trainer Cruz would be a natural fit. “I don’t know, maybe after this interview, I’ll make a couple of calls and get the ball rolling.”.
