Giants' Malik Nabers Talks 'Smack' About Commanders Instant Rivalry
There was a singular positive takeaway from last year of the New York Giants' 3-14 season.
Malik Nabers, the sixth-overall pick from the 2024 draft, had one of the best seasons for a rookie wideout. ... ever. The LSU product recorded 109 catches for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns.
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His reception total is the most ever for a first-year receiver in NFL history.
But ...
He was the lone star on a bad Giants roster, but he showed enough to excite fans for the future.
As he looks back on his first season in the league, Nabers is acknowledging - probably eith pride - that he was not immune to the dreaded "Welcome to the NFL" moment. In the case of the LSU product, his "NFL moment" came courtesy of the Washington Commanders in Week 2.
"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.
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"He smacked me, I ain't gonna lie. It looked harder than it seemed. He hit me, I popped right up, and I was like 'OK, alright, now I'm in the league.'"
Call it an "instant rivalry'' born.
Luvu is one of the most physical linebackers in the league and enjoyed an All-Pro season with the Commanders. His "smack'' on Nabers showed the rookie how fast each player is in the NFL. ...
And how physical the game can be.
Nabers was perfectly fine after the hit. He shrugged off the big blow with one of the greatest receiving years for a rookie in league history. ... catching 10 passes for 127 yards and his first NFL touchdown.
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His development should only improve as he gets further acclimated to the game as the Commanders - who had no answer for Nabers - probably remember all the details of this day as well as he does.
Related: Giants Trade Rumored to Help Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers
Related: Strange Darren Waller Trade Highlights Giants' Failings
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
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