Through his first couple of seasons in the league, Pro Bowl safety Landon Collins has emerged as one of the leading factors for the New York Giants defensively behind his steady play.
Collins is hoping to take that a step further this upcoming season by being able to grab one of the captain spots on the team, according to Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com.
“There are a lot of great guys on that defense that can be captain,” Collins said. “I’d like to have the ‘C’ on my chest, but it’s up to my guys. … Being a leader is tough: You have to make fast decisions and be an outspoken person and you have to gain the respect of others so they will listen to you. It’s hard, but it’s a role I’ll always take heavy on my heart.”
This increased desire to take on that role with the team in the 2018 campaign has come from his constant interactions with former Giants star defensive end Justin Tuck. During his tenure with the team, Tuck was one of the leaders of the team that helped them win a pair of Super Bowls. This is likely fueling Collins to take that extra step to be one of the strongest voices in the locker room for the Giants.
He has already taken that extra approach with his teammates by making cornerback Eli Apple accountable for his actions. He had also discussed offensive tackle Ereck Flowers' standing with the team earlier in training camp that did draw some ire from the coaching staff.
There is some clear growth needed in this aspect for him to take on one of the captain roles.
Collins has certainly proved it already with leading by example behind his performance on the field as he has developed into one of the top safeties in the league. This has helped him earn back-to-back Pro Bowl selections along with a First-Team All-Pro nod in the process.
Follow Us
Subscribe