Victor Cruz has weighed in on the brutal end to the Giants’ season that saw the team clean house of GM Dave Gettleman and coach Joe Judge.
Cruz spoke to The Post on behalf of the fast food chain Krystal, which he is partnering with on opening a franchise in his native Paterson, NJ. He discussed the embarrassing white flag of a quarterback sneak call with goal line personnel, whether Daniel Jones is the quarterback of the future and more.
“It was probably the most bizarre [play I’ve seen],” Cruz said. “As a player, if I’m on that team, it felt like we’ve given up. Like, we’re just trying to get through these last few games unscathed, relatively healthy, we’re just worried about getting off the field.
“I would feel terrible about that as a player. I want to compete. I’m a competitor. Most football guys are. You want to compete for your team no matter what the score is, no matter your record. You want to go out there and prove that you belong in this league. Not just for you, but for the other 31 teams in the league too.”
Cruz, 35, played wide receiver for the Giants from 2010 to 2016. He caught a touchdown in the team’s 21-17 victory over the Patriots in Super Bowl 46, and made one Pro Bowl.
The former wideout was noncommittal as to whether Jones is the long-term answer at quarterback.
“It’s tough for me — I understand he’s been there X amount of years and we’ve seen a healthy dose of him. But I don’t know if we’ve seen a healthy enough dose with a good offensive line yet. The O-line hasn’t been a unified front for quite some time,” Cruz said.
“I think they need to get back to a [strong offensive line] to see what they’ve got in Jones. I think they know what they have from a skillset perspective, but in terms of that winnability factor. There’s still some question marks there and I think they’re gonna give him one more year to figure it out.”
While many Giants observers have been perplexed about why Dave Gettleman was given the opportunity to “retire” gracefully while Judge was relieved of his duties, Cruz felt the distinction didn’t matter because the end result is that they are both gone.
“The wording of it is always tricky,” Cruz said. “Obviously we don’t know what transpired behind closed doors. Although Dave Gettleman retired, retirement is a word you can use and not say fired.
“They both ultimately got the same accord — whether you retired or got fired, it’s the same thing. The wording is just New York City. They’re always gonna fine-tune it, use their little white glove and see what word they use.”
Cruz believed parting ways with Judge was the correct decision by the organization.
“At the end of the day, the Giants cleaned house, and they needed to — not because Joe Judge was a bad coach. I think he had his moments where he did good. But it’s all about what taste you leave in the mouths of Giants fans at the end of the year. Yes, they weren’t good. But was there a bright spot at the close to make you feel good? Their last play of the season was an interception on 3rd and 22.”
Asked about whom the Giants should hire as their next coach, Cruz suggested ESPN analyst Louis Riddick (who at least as of yet has not been mentioned in any reports as a candidate) for the general manager position.
“I think he understands the culture of the NFL right now,” Cruz said. “He understands the game. He’s seen a lot of football. He worked in a front office in the past. I think he would embody the New York atmosphere. I think he understands how to handle it. And I think he’s a respected football mind that would be able to bring some talent in there.”
