Former Independence, UNC star Hakeem Nicks gets (final?) chance with N.Y. Giants
Former Independence and North Carolina standout receiver Hakeem Nicks is back with his old NFL team – and perhaps on his last stop in the league.
Nicks signed with the New York Giants last month after being out of the league since the start of the regular season. In 2011 he had his second consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season.
By 2015, few would touch him.
Nicks, a former first-round pick in 2009 out of UNC, battled foot and leg injuries in 2012, and by 2013 he had worn out his welcome in New York with questionable work ethic, according to multiple reports at the time.
“He’s been terrific. His attitude has been great. He’ll do whatever you ask him to do,” said Giants coach Tom Coughlin, who added that Nicks will volunteer that he needed an attitude adjustment. “He was a very successful Giant and then left in free agency and is very happy to be back. His attitude is a wonderful thing to see. Hakeem is a guy who will catch the football. He’s got great, big hands. He’s been back a short amount of time but when given the opportunity he’s done that.”
Nicks has three catches for 16 yards this season as the Giants slowly integrate him into the offense. And he only re-joined the team after Victor Cruz was placed on season-ending injured reserve.
Nicks left the Giants in free agency in 2014 but couldn’t make it work with Andrew Luck in Indianapolis, catching a career-low 38 passes for 405 yards.
The Titans decided they didn’t want him either after a long look in training camp this summer. Finally, the Giants came calling last month.
“It’s good to have Hakeem back. He’s picked up the offense well,” quarterback Eli Manning said on a teleconference Wednesday. “It’s a different scheme than when he was here the first time so he’s done a good job picking things up. He’s made a couple of plays for us. He’s getting more comfortable every week.”
This story was originally published December 16, 2015 at 4:39 PM with the headline "Former Independence, UNC star Hakeem Nicks gets (final?) chance with N.Y. Giants."