Notebook: Tyrone Tracy Jr. ‘exceeded’ his own expectations

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Tyrone Tracy joined the Giants last spring with the modest expectations often carried by a rookie selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft.

“My thing was just to obviously make the team but then be a value on anything, like special teams wise or at running back,” Tracy said. “Really just get on the field and provide value for the team and value for myself.”

Tracy has leaped over that low bar and kept running to produce one of the finest seasons a Giants rookie running back has ever had.

Entering the team’s season finale Sunday in Philadelphia, Tracy leads the team with 178 rushing attempts for 780 yards and five touchdowns. He is also fourth with 36 receptions for 277 yards and one score. His six total touchdowns tie him with wide receiver Malik Nabers for the team lead. Nabers was selected sixth in the draft, while Tracy went 166^th.

If Tracy rushes for 51 yards and catches two passes against the Eagles, he will climb to second on two significant rookie lists.

The former would move him past Pro Football Hall of Famer Tuffy Leemans, who ran for 830 yards in 1936, and into second place among Giants rookies, behind only Saquon Barkley (1,307 yards in 2018). Two receptions would lift him above Bobby Duhon (37 in 1968) and leave him trailing only Barkley (91) among Giants rookie running backs.

What do you think of that, Tyrone Tracy?

“I think I’ve done well for myself,” Tracy said. “I’ve exceeded my own expectations, but then also I made my expectations for myself higher. I feel like I’ve placed a standard for when I step on the field that not only I look at, but the other people around me, when I step on that field they know the type of person they’re gonna get, the type of player that I am, the coaching staff and my teammates as well.

“I am just happy. That’s a word that people overuse, but that’s just me. I’m full of joy, I’m happy. I’m m just blessed that God has allowed me to experience this. I’ve experienced a lot of things that a lot of people don’t get to experience their rookie year. I experienced a lot of things, so I’m just happy and blessed.”

Nabers, Tracy and the Giants’ entire rookie class have established themselves as franchise cornerstones. Despite missing two games with a concussion, Nabers has caught 104 passes and gained 1,142 scrimmage yards. Tracy is 85 yards behind him at 1,057. They are the first pair of Giants rookies and the third in NFL history to each have 1,000+ scrimmage yards. The 1960 American Football League Dallas Texans – who later became the Kansas City Chiefs – had Abner Haynes (1,451 yards) and Johnny Robinson (1,069), and the 2006 New Orleans Saints had Reggie Bush (1,307) and Marques Colston (1,038).

Nabers and Tracy rank third and fourth among all rookies in Giants history, trailing only Barkley (2,028 in 2018), and Odell Beckham, Jr. (1,340 in 2014). This is the first season since 2018 the Giants have two players exceed 1,000 scrimmage yards (Beckham had 1,071). Nabers (171 receiving yards and Tracy (59 rushing and 14 receiving) each passed the 1,000-yard mark in the Giants’ 45-33 victory against Indianapolis last Sunday.

“It just shows how were finishing off strong,” Nabers said. “Showing how much preparation and work that we put in through the offseason to come in here and make a difference to this team.”

Unlike Tracy, Nabers had lofty internal and external expectations when he joined the team and at the beginning of the season. He has more than met them and with four catches Sunday will set a Giants single season record, exceeding Steve Smith’s 107 in 2009.

“I’m proud of him, man, because he’s doing all this while missing a couple of games,” Tracy said. “He’s a phenomenal football player. All the accolades he gets, he deserves them.

“We both work for each and every thing that we get, so I’m just happy to see a fellow rookie that we come in with and work together hit those numbers. It’s pretty astonishing.”

Each of the Giants’ six 2024 draft choices have started games this season. Cincinnati and Washington have started an NFL-high seven rookie draft choices. The Giants are tied for the second-most with Arizona, Dallas, and Seattle.

In addition to the draft choices, two rookie free agents – defensive lineman Elijah Chatman and guard Jake Kubas – have started. With eight starting rookies, the Giants join Carolina and the L.A. Rams, for the league’s second-highest total, behind the Bengals’ nine.

“That’s what you want,” coach Brian Daboll said. “You’re always going to go through growing pains with young players, rookies, first-year players. The more they play, the more experience they get, that only helps. As long as they have the right attitude, which our guys do, and the right makeup, that’s definitely a good group to build with.”

Particularly with Tracy and Nabers leading the way.