There has already been considerable hype about the potential of the New York Giants‘ pass rush in 2025. NFL Network analyst Manti Te’o added to it this week with a bold claim comparing what the team has to some of the great pass rush duos of this century.
The 2024 edition of the Giants was again a disappointment. But their pass rush deserved respect due to the addition of former Carolina Panthers star Brian Burns. Then in April, the team selected, arguably, the best all-around talent in Penn State QB terrorizer Abdul Carter.
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On paper, they should have one of the NFL’s best pass rushes in 2025. However, on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” this week, former Chargers and Notre Dame star Manti Te’o made a bold claim about how good the combo of Burns and the rookie can be this season.
“The Giants got a really good rookie out of Penn State, named Abdul Carter, but you pair him with Brian Burns, there’s something about when you have two dynamic defensive ends and how they complement each other,” Te’o began by saying.
“I remember we had Melvin Ingram with the Chargers. And Melvin was a really dominant, physical player. Melvin didn’t get his first Pro Bowl until Joey Bosa came into the picture. We can go back to DeMarcus Ware-Von Miller, Dwight Freeney-Robert Mathis, Justin Houston-Tamba Hali. When you have two guys on the edge–the Pittsburgh Steelers have it right now, where they complement each other–it’s a nightmare for offenses.”
Ware signed with the Broncos in 2014 after being a seven-time Pro Bowler with the Cowboys. He had a strong debut season, posting 10 sacks. However, he perfectly complemented rising star Miller, and he added 14 sacks of his own that year.
In 2004, the combo of Freeney and Mathis tallied 26.5 sacks for the Colts. In 2013, the pair of Houston and Hali put up a combined 22 sacks for the Chiefs that year. If the G-Men can get those sorts of numbers from just two players this season, New York fans would be thrilled.
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After earning his journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos served as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sucka ... More about Jason Burgos