It was a line ripped straight from Kayvon Thibodeaux’s mouth on the Giants practice field.
“I didn’t come here to be average,” Thibodeaux said. “Let’s do this.”
Only the rookie pass rusher wasn’t trying to inspire teammates this time around. He was responding Tuesday morning (on a Giants off day) to instructions on packing boxes with Campbell’s Chunky Soup cans from other volunteers at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey in Hillside, and rallying his mother, Shawnta Loice, and a group of friends to follow suit.
“I’m just having fun, but it’s taking pride in what you do and making sure you carry it over in every avenue,” Thibodeaux told two reporters afterward. “My community is important, and touching down in New York and New Jersey, and being able to give back to the people who support us — and then being able to show love to the people behind the scenes that get it done — that’s the most important thing.”
There were times growing up in Los Angeles when Thibodeaux’s teacher, coach and best friend’s father, Antonio Patterson, ordered one chicken sandwich and a salad at McDonald’s for the two boys to share. Or asked for pizzas to be sliced smaller to trick the boys into thinking they had more to eat.
Now, at 21 years old, he has a four-year, $31.3 million contract, big expectations and valuable lessons. He recovered a fumble in his second career game.
“The biggest thing is we all go through things, but try to see the brighter side and be that light to someone else,” Thibodeaux said. “I never thought it would be possible that I’d be the guy doing it.
“I do see myself as a voice and I want to be influential for the younger generation. I want to make a statement that you’re never too big for any program, never bigger than your team, so always count your blessings and be humble because it can be taken away any day.”
The Giants are the NFL’s biggest surprise, off to a 3-1 start. Teammates are joking with Thibodeaux that he is enjoying the success without enduring any of the pain of the previous five seasons (22-59).
“To come out the first quarter of the season on a positive note feels good,” Thibodeaux said. “All you can do is continue to get better and stay consistent. We realize you can’t get up on a high horse because you can get got by any team.”
Thibodeaux was widely knocked during the pre-draft process by those who thought his business interests might detract from his commitment to football. The way he sees it, partnerships like the one with Campbell’s “Chunky Sacks Hunger” initiative (11 NFL teams are involved) to help give out 1 million meals to the food insecure only create a better version of himself. Campbell’s is donating 1,000 products for every sack by the Giants this season.
“The emotion I was feeling in this building,” Thibodeaux said after touring the 600-yard facility, walking into the freezers and signing dozens of autographs for volunteers, “and the love I was getting from the real person-to-person connection today … was really impactful.”
The Giants head to London to face the Packers on Sunday. Thibodeaux’s jersey was among the top-10 NFL sellers in the United Kingdom before he played his first snap. Could his first sack come against the great Aaron Rodgers?
“He’s been in the league as long as I can remember,” Thibodeaux said. “Getting to break down that film is going to be fun. [A sack] would be a blessing.”
