Subscribe
Follow Us
New York Giants star Kayvon Thibodeaux may be young, but he's wise beyond his years.
The 23-year-old linebacker is only in the midst of his third season in the league, but he's already a well-rounded player on and off the field. After coming off of an 11.5-sack season in 2023, Thibodeaux has posted back-to-back games with at least a half-sack, including one on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in the Giants' 20-15 loss on Thursday Night Football.
Although the Giants came up short in their bid of defeating their hated rivals, one area where Thibodeaux is not struggling are his investments in business. The former No. 5 overall draft pick is investing in the G.O.A.T. Fuel energy drink, a brand co-founded by NFL legend Jerry Rice.
The Oregon Ducks alum has a close relationship with the San Francisco 49ers legend, which eventually led to his investment in the energy drink. The brand also includes Breece Hall, Will Anderson Jr. and Terrion Arnold as ambassadors.
Thibodeaux revealed the best advice he's received from Rice when it comes to his career on and off the field, in an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints.
“I met Jerry actually at a Nike event,” Thibodeaux said. “This was way before G.O.A.T. came about (in 2019). I've actually been tied up with the season. But Jerry Rice himself, always talks about longevity, that's his whole message. And I think investing, getting from him, is a small piece that will carry your legacy on after ball and for your family generations to come.”
Thibodeaux is currently on his rookie contract, which is a four-year, $31.3 million deal. One of his top quotes when it comes to investing is simple and powerful – money is power.
The Giants star will have a foundation gala at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 22 for his Jream Foundation, where fans can attend, buy tickets and help the cause. The Jream Foundation is built on having mentors build and empower economically disadvantaged youth.
Thibodeaux went on to reveal the biggest thing he's learned since entering the NFL.
“It's a marathon,” the third-year linebacker said. “They say Rome wasn't built in a day. Just continuing to reach your goals by working every day and realizing that, the outcomes are usually the results of what you're doing in the present. Just continuing to take it day by day.”
Outside of his clear success off of the field, Thibodeaux is obviously having success on it. He's considered one of – if not the top – the Giants' best defensive players. He recently helped lead New York to an eight-sack game in their 21-15 win over the Cleveland Browns — their highest team sack total in a single game in 10 years.
While the Giants have obviously been through their ups and downs in Thibodeaux's short stint in New York, they made it to the postseason in his rookie year before posting a 6-11 record during the 2023 campaign. The third-year linebacker has an optimistic view of things, saying the teams has to “focus on the process” and not “dwell on wins and losses” in order to get back into winning form. He explained how the Giants were able to excel against the Browns.
“Just staying diligent, everybody doing their job and continuing to play together and celebrating each other's wins,” Thibodeaux said.
Article Continues Below
Kayvon Thibodeaux backs Daniel Jones, sees Malik Nabers vision
Franchise quarterback Daniel Jones, who has been under scrutiny since signing a four-year, $160 million contract, has been at the forefront of those ups and downs. After two consecutive solid outings in a tight 21-18 loss to the Washington Commanders and a win over the Browns, Jones came back down to earth in the loss to the Cowboys, posting an 81.4 passer rating and throwing an interception with no touchdowns. It also didn't help that the 27-year-old quarterback repeatedly missed open receivers on deep routes during the loss.
Although Jones is 2-8 since signing his deal, Thibodeaux is preaching confidence in his quarterback.
“We all kind of start out rusty and as he continues to play, he's just going to get better,” Thibodeaux said. “The sky's the limit (for Jones). He has all the ability in the world. We just have to continue to rally around him and keep playing our best.”
One player who hasn't been under scrutiny is wide receiver Malik Nabers. The first-round rookie is off to a sensational start to his career, posting 12 catches for 115 yards in the team's loss to the Cowboys before exiting with a concussion. Through his first four games, he has 35 catches for 386 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first player in NFL history to record at least 25 catches and three touchdowns in his first four games.
“Definitely a great player,” says Thibodeaux. “I think he's going to continue to emerge as a star in this league. He's going to stay humble and keep working — as simple as that.”
While Thibodeaux doesn't have a difficulty in getting to the quarterback, he reveals one specific passer he'd like to sack, Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes. Thibodeaux has yet to match up against the Chiefs since entering the league in 2022.
“We haven't played Patrick Mahomes yet, so definitely want to play against him,” says Thibodeaux.
The Giants will look to get back to winning form when they play on the road against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5.
