Giants Safety Logan Ryan Channeled Kobe Bryant in His Classy Statement About Dak Prescott
After making nine tackles in the New York Giants’ loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, defensive back Logan Ryan now has 525 over the course of his eight-year career. While he may not remember every single one of them, there’s no question that he’ll never forget the one that ended the 2020 season of Dak Prescott, a tackle, by the way, that was as clean as clean can be.
Following Sunday’s game, Ryan, who certainly knows what Dak Prescott is going through, was visibly shaken by what had transpired but was extremely classy in discussing Prescott, even using Kobe Bryant as inspiration when offering words of encouragement to the two-time Pro Bowler.
Logan Ryan’s hit on Dak Prescott was clean
For those who didn’t see the play in which Dak Prescott broke his ankle, or maybe didn’t want to watch it a second time (certainly understandable), Logan Ryan did absolutely nothing wrong. Prescott was scrambling, evaded one tackle, and then ran right into Ryan. As Dak was throwing a stiff-arm and Ryan simply brought him down. It was as routine as routine can be. The problem was that Prescott’s right ankle got caught between Ryan and the turf, which caused his leg to bend in a way that it most definitely shouldn’t and that was that. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Outside of obviously Dak Prescott himself, Logan Ryan was the first to notice what had happened and immediately began calling for help. As mentioned, Ryan was visibly shaken up after the game and simply wanted to assure everyone that he had no intention of hurting the Cowboys quarterback on the play (h/t Yahoo Sports).
“That was nothing but a routine tackle, two competitors — he was trying to stiff-arm me, I’m trying to tackle, punch the ball out — and when I saw it, I saw it immediately.
“I mean, obviously no mal-intent there.”
Logan Ryan
Logan Ryan knows that things won’t be easy for Dak Prescott moving forward, mainly because he’s been there himself.
The two have quite a bit in common
Logan Ryan and Dak Prescott actually have quite a bit in common. Both signed one-year deals for the 2020 season, Prescott on the franchise tag with the Cowboys and Ryan on an incentive-laced contract with the Giants. Both were obviously hoping for big seasons to land long-term, lucrative deals moving forward, something that’s not possible for Prescott now as he’ll be out anywhere from four to six months, which means his 2020 campaign is over.
Ryan certainly understands what Prescott is going through. In Week 15 of the 2018 season, his second year with the Tennessee Titans, Logan Ryan suffered a broken fibula. He knows that Dak Prescott has a long road ahead of him but he offered some very classy words of encouragement after Sunday’s game.
Logan Ryan channeled Kobe Bryant while offering up classy words of encouragement to Dak Prescott
What stood out perhaps more than anything in Logan Ryan’s postgame interview on Sunday was that he said the injury to Dak Prescott was “bigger than football” and “the worst thing that happened today.” He didn’t mention that the Giants lost their fifth straight game to open the season. Ryan was focused on Dak Prescott coming back stronger and better than he was before, just as he himself did.
When Ryan returned to the Titans for the 2019 season, he had the best season of his career with 113 tackles, 18 passes defended, and four interceptions. He wants the same thing to happen for Dak Prescott and even brought the late, great Kobe Bryant into the conversation.
“I broke my leg two years ago. And came back a better player. And I just wanted to wish him well. I went through a similar injury a couple years ago and I just thought, ‘What would Kobe do?’
“I hope he comes back. I hope he gets $500 million. He deserves it. And honestly, that was the worst thing that happened today. I got a sick taste in my stomach for it because he was playing a hell of a game. It was a hell of a battle between us. So I hate to see it, but stuff like that — adversity — it makes it real … I heard he’s getting surgery tonight. I asked my people to reach out so I can send him a tweet or get his phone number and wish him the best of luck.”
Logan Ryan
Logan Ryan was able to come back from his injury and be even better than he was before. Only time will tell if Dak Prescott can do the same.
