Tom Coughlin 'Disappointed' In Giants WR Hakeem Nicks For Missing OTAs
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Giants coach Tom Coughlin isn't too pleased at the moment.
And who can blame him? Star wide receiver Hakeem Nicks has not attended New York's voluntary OTA for the second consecutive week.
The future Hall of Fame coach said that he has not heard from the fifth-year player out of North Carolina, and he didn't hide his irritation on Thursday.
"Am I disappointed? No, I'm glad," Coughlin told reporters in a sarcastic tone. "Certainly I am (disappointed). At one point Hakeem told me he was going to be here, and then he was not here. In the strictest interpretation, everyone knows it's a voluntary program."
Nicks also didn't take part in New York's workout session earlier in the offseason.
Victor Cruz has also been absent from OTAs, though that was expected as the 2012 Pro Bowler continues to negotiate a potential long-term extension with Giants management.
Defensive ends Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul were not in East Rutherford on Thursday, but Coughlin expects both players to be on hand on Friday.
Coughlin admitted to reporters that while OTAs are voluntary, he can't help but be bothered when he doesn't get full attendance from his players.
"How do I balance it? Not very well," he said. "It would be great to have all of our guys working and feeling good about the progress we're making as a team, and that type of thing. That's just from a coach's perspective. You deal with some of this pretty much on a yearly basis and it's a product of our system, and that's the way it is. I can complain all I want, but nevertheless, it is our system."
Entering the final year of his contract, the 25-year-old missed three games last season with a knee injury. In 13 games he caught 53 passes for 692 yards and three touchdowns, culminating in the worst statistical season of his career.
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