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New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll brushed off questions about wide receiver Malik Nabers' profane tirade directed at his team following their blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday (November 24).
Daboll told reporters that he spoke with Nabers but intends to keep their conversation private, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.
"“He’s a very competitive individual. You want to get the ball in his hands and I’ve got to do a better job of getting the ball in his hands early," Daboll said on Monday (November 25) via Garafolo.
Nabers recorded six receptions for 64 yards, but had zero targets in the first half during his team's 30-7 loss, calling his team "soft as f**k" and questioning why he wasn't more involved in the offensive game plan.
“First, second quarter, I don’t get the ball,” Nabers said via the New York Post. “Start getting targets at the end. I mean, can’t do nothing. Start getting the ball when it’s 30-0. What do you want me to do?”
Nabers missed the past two games due to a concussion and had previously been held without a touchdown or more than 71 yards in five consecutive appearances after recording 35 receptions for 386 yards and three touchdowns in his first four games.
“Talk to Dabes about that,” Nabers said, referencing Daboll, who is both the head coach and offensive play-caller. “They come up to me and ask me what plays I want and that was that. I don’t know.”
The Giants benched -- and later released -- former first-round pick and veteran starting quarterback Daniel Jones for Tommy DeVito days prior to Sunday's loss, which didn't appear to provide a "spark" to the offensive he'd hoped for.
“Obviously, it ain’t the quarterback,” Nabers said via the New York Post. “Same outcome when we had DJ at quarterback. Take a look: It ain’t the quarterback.”