Among the highlights during the Giants’ 38-10 playoff-clinching win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday included a hard-hitting sack of Nick Foles from rookie Kayvon Thibodeaux.
But what happened next did not sit well with Colts interim head coach Jeff Saturday and several Colts players.
Thibodeaux celebrated the sack by doing pretend snow angels on the field. He did this celebration just inches away from Foles, who was laying on the ground and shaking in pain from the hit Thibodeaux just delivered.
While the Giants rookie said after the game that he was unaware Foles, who was forced to leave the game with a rib injury, was next to him writhing in pain it did not seem to matter to Saturday.
“Tasteless, from the celebration afterward, just trash,” Saturday told reporters. “Not a fan of it at all.”
Saturday, a former center, was also “disappointed” that the offensive line did not do anything to defend or stick up for Foles as Thibodeaux celebrated next to their injured quarterback.
“We protect our own,” Saturday said. “Y’all know me. I’ve been here a long time. I’m just going to tread lightly and obviously I didn’t like it at all. That’s where I’m going to leave it.”
Colts center Ryan Kelly was vocal about his disgust for Thibodeaux’s celebration while speaking to reporters after the game.
“Hopefully his teammates will — maybe one day he’ll learn that injuries happen in this league,” Kelly said. “You never want that to. Happen to the guy that you’re going against. That’s just horses—t.”
Thibodeaux said when he realized Foles was hurt that was when he started getting up, but continued the celebration on the sideline doing the “put him to sleep” gesture on the sideline.
“When you’re doing a celebration, you’re not looking to. See who’s doing what,” the first-round pick told reporters. “But I hope het gets well and I hope he’s all right.”
Saturday said that Foles will not play in Week 18 and is “really sore on that whole side of this body.” Sam Ehlinger will start the season finale against the Texans.
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