Every rookie has a “Welcome to the NFL” moment. For New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers, that moment came in last season’s Week 2 loss to the Washington Commanders. While most will remember the game for the Commanders’ victory, achieved by kicking seven field goals and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels securing his first NFL win, Nabers had a critical drop in the game that could have clinched the win for New York.
Despite the drop, Nabers had a phenomenal game, catching 10 passes for 127 yards and his first NFL touchdown. The Commanders had no answer for Nabers.
So, when did Nabers arrive at his “Welcome to the NFL” moment? It came courtesy of Washington linebacker Frankie Luvu.
“I ran like a shallow (cross), it was like third and 4, I think, third and 5, I ran the shallow, I caught the ball and I was going up the field on the right sideline, and one of the linebackers he came and hit me,” Nabers told Dale Earnhardt Jr., in an episode of “Taking Laps with Dale Jr.”
“I seen him (Luvu) in my peripheral, but it’s like I thought he was farther than what I expected. So I’m cutting, I’m telling (tight end) Theo (Johnson), ‘block the corner that’s right there,’ and I’m going to try to cut backside because the dude’s not going to catch me………It’s like he just magically just appeared right there. He smacked me, I ain’t gonna lie. It looked harder than what it seemed. He hit me, I popped right up, and I was like ‘OK, alright, now I’m in the league.'”
You can view the episode here.
Courtesy of Nate on X, we have the play, just as Nabers described.
Nabers would have a terrific rookie season even if the Giants struggled. However, he was overshadowed by Daniels, his best friend and college quarterback at LSU. Daniels was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, while Nabers finished fifth behind Daniels, Raiders TE Brock Bowers, Broncos QB, and Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. (Daniels and Nabers’ teammate at LSU).
The Giants and Commanders meet in Week 1 on September 7.
