How Tyrone Tracy is saving the Giants

Drafted in the fifth round, with the 166th overall pick. The Giants selected Tyrone Tracy Jr. from Purdue to be the replacement for superstar running back Saquon Barkley, who went to the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason.

Tracy became a running back in 2023 for Purdue. Before that, he was a wide receiver at Iowa, during his entire collegiate career he had 1,206 receiving yards, which naturally makes him a very capable receiver out of the backfield.

Since his transition he has been near unstoppable, lighting up the league with three 100+ all-purpose yard games against the Bengals, Steelers, and Panthers.

But, in that Panthers game, which was taking place at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Tracy made one huge mistake, fumbling the ball in overtime. That fumble would lead to the Panthers game-winning field goal. The rookie from Purdue took his mistake to heart, going to the sideline and sitting there head hanging and he was seen in tears.

Star rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers sympathized with Tracy saying, "I know that feeling. You don't kick the man when he's already down," he would further provide his fellow rookie with some encouragement, “I told him, that play doesn't define you. That one play doesn't lose us the game. You played a hell of a game."

In that game, Tracy had 18 carries, 103 yards, and a rushing touchdown, but the 24-year-old rookie is focused on the one blemish on his day.

However, for Giants fans, they might not be so distraught about the fumble as it gives the Giants a huge win for their No. 1 overall pick chances which could allow them to select a quarterback such as Cam Ward, a star player for the Miami Hurricanes.

Cam Ward, along with other talented quarterbacks such as Shadeur Sanders and Jalen Milroe will receive very long looks from the New York Giants as they look to move on from Daniel Jones, who besides the one playoff run in 2022 has looked subpar throughout his career for both the Giants and even the Duke Blue Devils when he was in college.

Tracy will be able to keep his head up after overwhelming support from Giants fans in support of his play and passion on the field as the Giants continue on a path to provide talent like Tracy, among others such as Malik Nabers and Wan’dale Robinson, with the franchise quarterback the Giants have been hoping for since the retirement of Eli Manning.

The Giants go into their Week 11 bye at a disappointing 2-8. For the remainder of the season they will play the Buccaneers, Cowboys on Thanksgiving, Saints, Ravens, Falcons, Colts and Eagles. This will most likely set Giants fans up with another year of looking forward to the draft process and a top-10 draft pick.

Massimo Manfra is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email mgm6116@psu.edu.