Meet the ‘Motor’ Who’s Set to Power the New York Giants Running Game

At first glance, New York Giants running back Devin Singletary seems like a laid-back guy who looks like he is just out of college. 

But don’t let his quiet demeanor or his youthful appearance fool you. The man who sports the nickname “Motor” can be quite an intense competitor and is an accomplished veteran whom the Giants want to lead their running back committee this year both on and off the field. 

“He has very good discipline. He has the right attitude. He’s got tremendous will and a lot of grit. He does what he’s supposed to do when he’s supposed to do it,” head coach Brian Daboll said of the 5-foot-7, 203-pound running back.

Daboll ought to know, as he was the offensive coordinator in Buffalo when the team selected Singletary in the third round of the 2019 draft. Singletary, who has always been part of a committee rather than a high-volume back (at least until last season when he was part of the Texans) has led every NFL team he’s been on in the rushing department.

Sigletary’s production, demeanor, and commitment to the game and his teams had Daboll praising the Fort Lauderdale, Florida native’s dependability and leadership.

Then, Singletary’s durability was also shown. After a 12-game rookie season when he missed games due to a hamstring issue, Singletary has missed just two games since the NFL went to a 17-game season in 2020.

“It’s a blessing, thank God, first off,” Singletary said of his durability. “I found a routine that just worked for me. I was fortunate enough to have Frank Gore, Shady McCoy, T.J. Yeldon–some good vets coming in, and I just picked their brains a lot and figured out what worked best for me and stuck with it. And as I got older, I added a few things to make sure I am ready to go every week.”

Singletary is a man of few words who is almost embarrassed any time his career accomplishments are mentioned. He said he’s all about “me just being me” when it comes to football and life.

“You know, staying in the green, making positive plays whenever I touch the ball,” he said when asked about his career to date and if he viewed himself among the upper echelon of his peers. 

“Even in pass pro, I feel I’ve grown a lot in that. So just being an all-around back. And like I said, just being myself–that’s how I’ve been able to stick around and get to this point.” 

Singletary knew he wanted to be a running back from the time he was three years old when he played ball with his cousins. 

He played his high school ball at American Heritage in Boca Delray, Florida, before spending a three-year career at Florida Atlantic. There, he logged three straight 1,000-yard rushing campaigns, the best of which came in 2017, when he had 1,920 rushing yards on 301 carries and 32 touchdowns.

Singletary, who also returned kickoffs in his first season at Florida Atlantic, finished with 4,289 yards on 714 carries and 66 touchdowns on the ground, and 51 receptions for 397 yards and one touchdown as a receiver. 

Since coming to the NFL, he has averaged 4.8 rushing yards over his career and has a 48.8 percent success rate in picking up the required yardage. 

During his four seasons in Buffalo, he never touched the ball as a runner more than 188 times, but he made sure to make each touch count–and not just as a runner but also when he was thrown the ball out of the backfield. 

Despite that production at FAU, Singletary said he got his nickname of “Motor” long before that.  

“It was passed down,” he said with a laugh. “My father (Devonn Singletary, who played running back at Norfolk State)–he’s ‘Motor,’ as well. So when I was born, I was a little motor. Then when I started playing ball, it stuck.”

What also stuck with Singletary was the advice he received from older veterans like Frank Gore and LeSean “Shady” McCoy.

“Just keep your head down, keep working, never get comfortable, no matter what year you’re in, if you’re in Year 1 or Year 10,” he said when asked what his favorite piece of guidance has been. “Just stay at it and try to be consistent.”

And now Singletary, as the Giants’ most experienced running back on the roster, is willing to share his experiences with his young teammates who come to him.

That attitude has Daboll pleased.  

“He’s a very good leader in the running back room,” Daboll said. “He’s been around some good ones ahead of him. He’s not over-the-top loud, but I’d say he’s respected by the people in the locker room.”