Giants Fans Rally Behind OL Who Suffered Injury vs. WFT

Giants offensive lineman Nick Gates suffered a season ending leg injury on Thursday night against the Washington Football Team. A favorite amongst Big Blue fans, Gates has seen an outpour of support from fans, teammates and coaches. Gates' comeback has been dubbed, "Nick Gates vs. The World".

The slogan was born on Friday during Bobby Skinner and Justin Penik's show, the "Talkin' Giants". Gates has been a regular on the show and is one the hosts' favorite players to bring on.

“What drew us to Nick was his nastiness, willingness to fight, versatility, story and ultimately being a good NFL offensive lineman,” said Skinner, to NJ.com's Zack Rosenblatt.

Nick Gates vs. The World caught on quickly with Giants fans and began trending on Friday night, with an outpour of support shining through.

It won't be the first time Gates will fight through adversity. Gates went undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft and worked his way up from the bottom to become the Giants' starting center in 2020. Through his toughness and strong personality, Gates was named a team captain this season, an honor that he said gave him chills.

Gates has been one of quarterback Daniel Jones' biggest blockers the last two seasons and Jones said after the game that it's hard to replace someone like Gates.

“He is a guy that works his tail off every day and someone everyone looks to, to be a leader,” Jones said. “It hurts to see him go down like that. I’m certainly praying for him and wishing for the best.”

A player built for the tough and rugged system of head coach Joe Judge, nobody was more upset to see Gates go down than Judge himself. Judge was visibly shook after the game, calling Gates one of the best leaders on the team.

“Can’t say enough about Nick in terms of what he does for the team, how he works, the energy and spirit he brings on a daily basis," Judge said. "He’s an all-in team guy, he’s a very selfless player. He’s been a great leader for this team ... It’s always: ‘Whatever’s best for the team, coach, that’s what I’m gonna do.;”