Michael Strahan Postpones Retirement Decision: DE Michael Strahan originally said he would make a decision on whether he would return for another season in March. However, Strahan now says that it will take longer than that.
“I don’t know now because the season kind of extended a lot further than I thought,” said Strahan. “I’m thinking March is next week. There’s no way by next week. You know, I want to take a vacation. I want to get away. I haven’t been able to do that, and I don’t have anything planned until the middle of next month and I won’t be back until the beginning of the following month. So it won’t be in March. That’s too early.”
Strahan now hopes to make his decision before the 2008 NFL Draft in late April.
The Daily News Giants’ blog is reporting that several people close to Strahan say he is not close to making a decision. The blog contends that the Giants and Strahan’s agent have not talked contract since March 2007. However, The Daily News blog reports that General Manager Jerry Reese spoke to Strahan briefly at the ticker tape parade after the Super Bowl and told Strahan, “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of you.”
The Daily News blog says that Strahan and his agent will meet with Reese and possibly Giants’ ownership in March before Strahan goes on vacation. Newsday is reporting that one unidentified source “familiar with the Giants’ situation” has said that Strahan would “almost certainly return” if the Giants upped Strahan’s salary from the $4 million he is due in 2008 on the last year of his current contract to $7 million.
“You know what? If (money) were the reason to come back then I wouldn’t have come back last year because they didn’t do anything (with my contract),” said Strahan. “That stuff is secondary. The biggest thing is, ‘Do I want to play?’ At this point I want to play because I love to play. I don’t want to get out there and do it for money because I’ll end up getting hurt. At this age, I don’t want to be hurt anymore.”
“Do I think I can muster up 16-plus games, that’s the question,” Strahan said. “I don’t want to be a has-been or a guy that used to be good…This could be it. I don’t know of any better way to finish than this…You know, you couldn’t write a story any better to ride off into the sunset this way. But like I said, I just haven’t decided exactly how I want to end it. It’s a long season, man. I’m physically and mentally tired. It’s tough.”
“We’ll see,” said Strahan. “I might be back.”
“He’s coming back,” said DE Osi Umenyiora. “Don’t listen to all that.”
“You can’t replace (Strahan). You can’t,” said LB Antonio Pierce. “It was obvious when he wasn’t there in spring ball or training camp. He was missed, not only as an athlete but as a person.”
February 26, 2008 New York Giants News and Rumors: Here are the latest news and rumors published by the beat writers who cover the Giants either in newspaper articles or their online blogs:
- Ralph Vacchiano (Daily News) says that it is growing increasingly likely that soon-to-be unrestricted free agent FS Gibril Wilson will reach the open market on February 29th. Vacchiano states that Wilson wants to test his worth. He reports that the Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, and at least three other unidentified teams are interested in Wilson.
- Bob Glauber (Newsday) speculates that General Manager Jerry Reese knows that the cost of trading for CB DeAngelo Hall (Falcons) may be prohibitive and the Giants’ rumored interest is designed to merely drive up the asking price for other NFL teams, specifically the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins.
- DE Osi Umenyiora was asked if would ask for more money or even possibly hold out if the Giants do not redo his contract. “I can tell you, in this game, everyone wants more money,” responded Umenyiora. “I can neither confirm nor deny that speculation.”