Justin Tuck
Encyclopedia
Justin Lee Tuck is an American football
defensive end
for the National Football League
's (NFL) New York Giants
.
A former standout defensive end
for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
, Tuck currently plays in the National Football League
(NFL) for the New York Giants
. His cousin Adalius Thomas
was also a former professional football player. On January 17, 2008, Tuck was rewarded with a contract extension with the Giants.
and the Dallas Cowboys
, but his favorite sport was basketball. Although he began playing football in the seventh grade, Justin only began to take it seriously in his freshman year of high school where he originally started out as a quarterback
before changing positions to tight end
and defensive end. His accolades include earning Alabama Class 4A Player of the Year as a senior in 2000, as well as lettering in football at both linebacker
and tight end. For his career at Central-Coosa, Tuck recorded 492 tackles
with 37 sacks
, 26 forced fumble
s, and 17 fumble recoveries. As a tight end, Tuck had 115 catches
for 2,106 yards and 17 touchdown
s. Subsequently, Tuck also won two state championships as a member of the high school basketball team.
his 2001 freshman year at the University of Notre Dame, Tuck played sparingly in his sophomore season. Playing only 180 minutes for the season, Tuck recorded his first collegiate sack against Michigan State
. And despite his limited playing time and solo start (vs. Rutgers
), Tuck was named a third-team freshman All-American by The Sporting News. Tuck increased his production in his final two seasons at Notre Dame. In 2003, he finished the season with 13.5 sacks, 19 tackles for a loss and three forced fumble before suffering a knee injury against Syracuse. Tuck frequently encountered double-team coverage in 2004. Despite a lingering knee problem from the previous season and not playing in Notre Dame's Insight.com Bowl loss to Oregon State, Tuck still finished the season with 47 tackles, six sacks and 14 stops for losses.
Nicknamed The Freak by his teammates for his raw athleticism, Tuck holds several defensive records at Notre Dame. Topping the previous record mark of 22.5 sacks by Kory Minor
, Tuck finished his Notre Dame career with 24.5 sacks. His career 43 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks in a single season are also school records.
Tuck also recorded a wind-aided 4.56 in the 40-yard dash as well as a 380-pound bench press, 560-pound squat and a 336-pound power clean. Pre-draft reports contended that the knee injury would keep teams from taking Tuck in the 1st round. He was known as "terrific athlete who is a disruptive force up the field. Breaks down well playing with leverage, rarely off his feet and tough to move from his angle of attack." and "an extremely quick and agile player who possesses very good strength for a player of his size."
, Tuck was selected in the third round, 74th overall, by the New York Giants. On July 29, 2005, Tuck signed a four-year contract $2.36 million contract with the Giants, which included a $737,000 signing bonus.
His rookie season in the NFL found him behind Pro Bowl
defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora
on the New York Giants depth chart, reducing his role to special teams and the first backup at each defensive end position. In total, Tuck played in 14 regular season games with one start and the NFC Wild Card Game. His first career sack came against the Giants' NFC East
rival, the Dallas Cowboys.
Tuck finished the 2005 season with 33 total tackles one sack, two passes defended, one forced fumble and 18 special teams tackles.
During his sophomore season in 2006, Tuck was limited to just six games due to an injury suffered on October 23, 2006 in a New York Giants Monday night
victory over the Dallas Cowboys. On November 17, Tuck underwent successful surgery to repair a Lisfranc
injury. The procedure included inserting screws into Tuck’s foot. For the season, Tuck only recorded two solo tackles.
employed to pressure opponent quarterbacks. On January 18, 2008, Tuck signed a lucrative contract extension from the Giants. The five-year $30 million deal, $16 million of which is guaranteed, included a $9 million signing bonus.
In front of a record-setting American television audience, Tuck had a spectacular game in Super Bowl XLII
by repeatedly pressuring New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady
and recording two sacks and a forced fumble. According to Tuck, he and Brady exchanged playful trash talk during especially physical plays. Due to the game's low score, opinions were heavily waged that Tuck was more deserving of the MVP award than Eli Manning
.
in May, Tuck and the Giants were invited by President Bush
to the White House
to honor their victory in Super Bowl XLII. Tuck also took up boxing
to improve his hand-eye coordination.
Due to Michael Strahan's retirement, Tuck was promoted to starting defensive end. When asked about the pressure of replacing Strahan, Tuck replied "Pressure? No, I'm smart enough to realize there's only one Strahan and there will always only be one Strahan. I'm not trying to replace Michael Strahan. I'm just trying to fill in and do my best to help this football team win. I'm not pinning that pressure on my back, as far as going out there and getting 22 sacks in a season." But Tuck started his 2008 campaign in Michael Strahan-like fashion by sacking Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell
in the first play of the season opener. The Giants went on to defeat their division rivals the Washington Redskins 16–7. Tuck followed his exceptional performance in week one with an outstanding performance against the St. Louis Rams
. Tuck finished the game with 2.0 sacks and an interception return for a touchdown in a Giants victory in week two. The interception and touchdown marked the first of Tuck's professional career. The touchdown was his first since his junior season at Notre Dame.
Tuck totaled 66 tackles, 12 sacks, three forced fumbles, two passes deflected and one interception. Tuck's stellar play in 2008 earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl
as one of the NFC's starting defensive ends. He was also voted to All-Pro
for the first time in his career.
, Tuck hoped to see fewer double teams than he did during the end of the 2008 season.
Tuck played very well in the season opener against the Washington Redskins
on September 13, 2009. Tuck recorded two tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, and a pass deflection, which caused the Giants to win 23–17. After the game, Tuck was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Tuck sustained an injured left shoulder when he was tripped by a Cowboys’ lineman in September, which affected his play for the rest of 2009. He ended the season with 60 tackles, six sacks, six forced fumbles, and eight pass deflections. For his efforts, Tuck was voted an alternate in the 2010 Pro Bowl.
Tuck recorded career highs in total tackles (76) and forced fumbles (6). He also finished the season with 11.5 sacks, a half a sack shy of tying his career best 12 sacks from 2008. Tuck's greatest individual efforts came in games against the Chicago Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles. In Week 4, against Chicago, Tuck accounted for 3 of the defense's 10 total sacks, and had a forced fumble in a game the Giants won 17–3. In Week 17, against Philadelphia, Tuck had 3 sacks and forced 2 fumbles in a losing effort to the Eagles.
The Giants finished 10–6 and missed the playoffs after losses to the Eagles, who won the NFC East, as well as the eventual Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers. Tuck was named as an alternate to the 2011 Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams.
in 2010 top 100 players justin tuck was placed at number 60
, and his parents are Jimmy Lee and Elaine Tuck.
Jimmy Lee Tuck, Justin's father, built the home that has housed his eight children and spouse by hand in 1973. During his childhood, Justin was nicknamed "He-Man
" due to his large stature. He would run through his home yelling catchphrases from Masters of the Universe
such as "By the power of Grayskull
!" or "I have the power!". During his youth, Tuck frequently attended Elam II Missionary Baptist Church in his native Kellyton, resulting in Justin becoming the congregation's youngest Sunday School
instructor.
After the Giants Super Bowl victory, Tuck achieved a new level of celebrity in his native Alabama. "It was interesting when I went home (to Alabama)," Tuck said. "You couldn't go anywhere without people asking for your autograph or telling you congratulations or how proud they were of you and things like that." The newfound celebrity also extended to New York, where Tuck and Giants wide receiver
Amani Toomer
were honored by Congressman Charles Rangel at the ball field at Harlem River Park on February 20, 2008. The community celebration was in honor of the Giants' Super Bowl XLII victory. Three days later, he and several Giants players were honored as "special guests" during a historic title unification
bout in Madison Square Garden
between heavyweight boxers Wladimir Klitschko
and Sultan Ibragimov
. The following month, Tuck was again honored for his Super Bowl performance. He exchanged a game-worn football jersey for a game-used hockey stick
with New York Rangers
captain Jaromír Jágr
. After only his second ice hockey
game, Tuck quipped "I am hooked. It's football on ice."
Tuck has participated in various philanthropic causes. Tuck and Giants teammate Michael Strahan
teamed up with Nike
to design their own exclusive pair of sneakers for ID studio in New York City
. All proceeds of the sneakers were donated to Nike’s Let Me Play global campaign. Tuck was also featured on the second season of "Cake Boss" when he ordered a cake shaped like a billiards table for the first annual celebrity billiards event for his charity "Tuck's Rush for Literacy."
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's (NFL) New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
A former standout defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
, Tuck currently plays in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. His cousin Adalius Thomas
Adalius Thomas
Adalius Donquail Thomas is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern Mississippi.-Early years:...
was also a former professional football player. On January 17, 2008, Tuck was rewarded with a contract extension with the Giants.
Central-Coosa High School
Justin Tuck played high school football in Alabama at Central Coosa County. Growing up, Tuck's favorite football teams were the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
and the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, but his favorite sport was basketball. Although he began playing football in the seventh grade, Justin only began to take it seriously in his freshman year of high school where he originally started out as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
before changing positions to tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
and defensive end. His accolades include earning Alabama Class 4A Player of the Year as a senior in 2000, as well as lettering in football at both linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
and tight end. For his career at Central-Coosa, Tuck recorded 492 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
with 37 sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
, 26 forced fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
s, and 17 fumble recoveries. As a tight end, Tuck had 115 catches
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
for 2,106 yards and 17 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s. Subsequently, Tuck also won two state championships as a member of the high school basketball team.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
After redshirtingRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
his 2001 freshman year at the University of Notre Dame, Tuck played sparingly in his sophomore season. Playing only 180 minutes for the season, Tuck recorded his first collegiate sack against Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
. And despite his limited playing time and solo start (vs. Rutgers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represents Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision play...
), Tuck was named a third-team freshman All-American by The Sporting News. Tuck increased his production in his final two seasons at Notre Dame. In 2003, he finished the season with 13.5 sacks, 19 tackles for a loss and three forced fumble before suffering a knee injury against Syracuse. Tuck frequently encountered double-team coverage in 2004. Despite a lingering knee problem from the previous season and not playing in Notre Dame's Insight.com Bowl loss to Oregon State, Tuck still finished the season with 47 tackles, six sacks and 14 stops for losses.
Nicknamed The Freak by his teammates for his raw athleticism, Tuck holds several defensive records at Notre Dame. Topping the previous record mark of 22.5 sacks by Kory Minor
Kory Minor
Kory Minor is a former American football linebacker. He played 30 games in four seasons for the Carolina Panthers. Minor was an outside linebacker at Notre Dame from 1995–1998, while recording 245 tackles, 43.5 for loss, and five interceptions...
, Tuck finished his Notre Dame career with 24.5 sacks. His career 43 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks in a single season are also school records.
Pre-draft measureables
In the run-up to the 2005 NFL Draft2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
Tuck also recorded a wind-aided 4.56 in the 40-yard dash as well as a 380-pound bench press, 560-pound squat and a 336-pound power clean. Pre-draft reports contended that the knee injury would keep teams from taking Tuck in the 1st round. He was known as "terrific athlete who is a disruptive force up the field. Breaks down well playing with leverage, rarely off his feet and tough to move from his angle of attack." and "an extremely quick and agile player who possesses very good strength for a player of his size."
New York Giants
2005–2006
Although projected to be a mid-first round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
, Tuck was selected in the third round, 74th overall, by the New York Giants. On July 29, 2005, Tuck signed a four-year contract $2.36 million contract with the Giants, which included a $737,000 signing bonus.
His rookie season in the NFL found him behind Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora
Osi Umenyiora
-2003:Umenyiora was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the New York Giants out of Troy State University, now Troy University. He was number 72. As a rookie in 2003, he played in 13 games with one start.-2005:...
on the New York Giants depth chart, reducing his role to special teams and the first backup at each defensive end position. In total, Tuck played in 14 regular season games with one start and the NFC Wild Card Game. His first career sack came against the Giants' NFC East
NFC East
The NFC East is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins....
rival, the Dallas Cowboys.
Tuck finished the 2005 season with 33 total tackles one sack, two passes defended, one forced fumble and 18 special teams tackles.
During his sophomore season in 2006, Tuck was limited to just six games due to an injury suffered on October 23, 2006 in a New York Giants Monday night
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
victory over the Dallas Cowboys. On November 17, Tuck underwent successful surgery to repair a Lisfranc
Lisfranc fracture
The Lisfranc fracture is a fracture of the foot in which one or all of the metatarsals are displaced from the tarsus.It is named after 18th- and 19th-century surgeon and gynecologist Jacques Lisfranc de St. Martin.-Causes:...
injury. The procedure included inserting screws into Tuck’s foot. For the season, Tuck only recorded two solo tackles.
2007
Despite starting only two games in 2007, Tuck enjoyed his best season to date, recording 65 tackles, 10 sacks, and two forced fumbles during the regular season. During the season Tuck spelled both Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora at defensive end and on likely passing downs he teamed with Mathias Kiwanuka at defensive tackle (with Strahan and Umenyiora at end) for form a four defensive end pass rush, a scheme defensive coordinator Steve SpagnuoloSteve Spagnuolo
Steven Christopher Spagnuolo is the current head coach of the St. Louis Rams. He was previously the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants from January 2007 to January 2009, and also served for eight years under defensive coordinator Jim Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles.-Early years:Born...
employed to pressure opponent quarterbacks. On January 18, 2008, Tuck signed a lucrative contract extension from the Giants. The five-year $30 million deal, $16 million of which is guaranteed, included a $9 million signing bonus.
Super Bowl XLII
In front of a record-setting American television audience, Tuck had a spectacular game in Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
by repeatedly pressuring New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
and recording two sacks and a forced fumble. According to Tuck, he and Brady exchanged playful trash talk during especially physical plays. Due to the game's low score, opinions were heavily waged that Tuck was more deserving of the MVP award than Eli Manning
Eli Manning
Eli Nelson Manning is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is the younger brother of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning...
.
2008
On March 31, 2008, Tuck reported to voluntary off-season conditioning programs administered by the Giants. Prior to the start of Giants mini-campNational Football League mini-camp
A mini-camp is a short camp held by National Football League teams usually in May of each year. The camp usually only lasts 3 days, but the length varies by a day or two depending on the head coach's preference. Mini-camps are geared toward getting the newly drafted rookies acclimated to the NFL...
in May, Tuck and the Giants were invited by President Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
to honor their victory in Super Bowl XLII. Tuck also took up boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
to improve his hand-eye coordination.
Due to Michael Strahan's retirement, Tuck was promoted to starting defensive end. When asked about the pressure of replacing Strahan, Tuck replied "Pressure? No, I'm smart enough to realize there's only one Strahan and there will always only be one Strahan. I'm not trying to replace Michael Strahan. I'm just trying to fill in and do my best to help this football team win. I'm not pinning that pressure on my back, as far as going out there and getting 22 sacks in a season." But Tuck started his 2008 campaign in Michael Strahan-like fashion by sacking Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
in the first play of the season opener. The Giants went on to defeat their division rivals the Washington Redskins 16–7. Tuck followed his exceptional performance in week one with an outstanding performance against the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. Tuck finished the game with 2.0 sacks and an interception return for a touchdown in a Giants victory in week two. The interception and touchdown marked the first of Tuck's professional career. The touchdown was his first since his junior season at Notre Dame.
Tuck totaled 66 tackles, 12 sacks, three forced fumbles, two passes deflected and one interception. Tuck's stellar play in 2008 earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
as one of the NFC's starting defensive ends. He was also voted to All-Pro
2008 All-Pro Team
The 2008 All-Pro Team is composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press , Pro Football Writers Association , and Sporting News All-Pro Teams in 2008. These are the current teams that historically appear in Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the NFL...
for the first time in his career.
2009
Tuck and the Giants entered the 2009 season as one of the favorites for the NFC to go the Super Bowl. With the return of teammate Osi UmenyioraOsi Umenyiora
-2003:Umenyiora was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the New York Giants out of Troy State University, now Troy University. He was number 72. As a rookie in 2003, he played in 13 games with one start.-2005:...
, Tuck hoped to see fewer double teams than he did during the end of the 2008 season.
Tuck played very well in the season opener against the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
on September 13, 2009. Tuck recorded two tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, and a pass deflection, which caused the Giants to win 23–17. After the game, Tuck was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Tuck sustained an injured left shoulder when he was tripped by a Cowboys’ lineman in September, which affected his play for the rest of 2009. He ended the season with 60 tackles, six sacks, six forced fumbles, and eight pass deflections. For his efforts, Tuck was voted an alternate in the 2010 Pro Bowl.
2010
Tuck continued to perform at a high level throughout the 2010 season and, along with Osi Umenyiora, proved why New York's pair of defensive ends are among the most feared in the league.Tuck recorded career highs in total tackles (76) and forced fumbles (6). He also finished the season with 11.5 sacks, a half a sack shy of tying his career best 12 sacks from 2008. Tuck's greatest individual efforts came in games against the Chicago Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles. In Week 4, against Chicago, Tuck accounted for 3 of the defense's 10 total sacks, and had a forced fumble in a game the Giants won 17–3. In Week 17, against Philadelphia, Tuck had 3 sacks and forced 2 fumbles in a losing effort to the Eagles.
The Giants finished 10–6 and missed the playoffs after losses to the Eagles, who won the NFC East, as well as the eventual Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers. Tuck was named as an alternate to the 2011 Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams.
in 2010 top 100 players justin tuck was placed at number 60
Statistics
Source:| Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | G | GS | Total | Solo | Sck | Sfty | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FF | FR |
| 2005 2005 NFL season The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006... |
NYG 2005 New York Giants season -Offseason:In the 2005 off–season the Giants acquired former Steelers' wide receiver Plaxico Burress as a free agent. Also, during the 2005 Draft, the Giants used their first pick on Louisiana St. Cornerback Corey Webster. They then used their next pick on Notre Dame Defensive End Justin Tuck. ... |
14 | 1 | 31 | 26 | 1.0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| 2006 2006 NFL season The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006... |
NYG 2006 New York Giants season The 2006 New York Giants season began with the team trying to improve on their 11–5 record in 2005, which saw them win the NFC East. They did not win the NFC East or improve on that record, falling to 8-8 on the season after starting 6-2... |
6 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 2007 NFL season The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30.... |
NYG 2007 New York Giants season The 2007 New York Giants season was the 83rd season for the New York Giants in the National Football League. The Giants finished the regular season 10–6 and in second place in the NFC East, improving upon their 8–8 record in 2006 in which they finished third in their division... |
16 | 2 | 65 | 48 | 10.0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 |
| 2008 2008 NFL season The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the... |
NYG 2008 New York Giants season The 2008 New York Giants season was the franchise's 84th season in the National Football League as the team looked to defend its Super Bowl XLII title. They improved upon their 10–6 record from 2007, becoming NFC East champions and finished with the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs with a 12-4 record... |
16 | 16 | 67 | 52 | 12.0 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 41.0 | 41T | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 2009 2009 NFL season The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at... |
NYG 2009 New York Giants season The 2009 New York Giants season was the 85th season for the team in the National Football League. It was the team's final season in Giants Stadium; In 2010, the Giants moved into New Meadowlands Stadium. The Giants hoped to improve upon their 12–4 record, avenge their divisional round loss to the... |
16 | 15 | 59 | 44 | 6.0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 0 |
| 2010 2010 NFL season The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season of the National Football League.The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game on NBC on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome as the New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings 14–9.Tom Brady,... |
NYG 2010 New York Giants season The 2010 New York Giants season was the 86th season for the team in the National Football League and the team's inaugural season in New Meadowlands Stadium. The Giants improved on their 8–8 2009 record by finishing 10–6 and second place in the NFC East... |
16 | 16 | 76 | 48 | 11.5 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 5 |
| Total | 84 | 50 | 308 | 224 | 40.5 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 41.0 | 41 | 1 | 17 | 6 | |
Personal life
Justin Tuck is married to Lauran Williamson of Bucks County, PennsylvaniaBucks County, Pennsylvania
- Industry and commerce :The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such "Levittown" designed by...
, and his parents are Jimmy Lee and Elaine Tuck.
Jimmy Lee Tuck, Justin's father, built the home that has housed his eight children and spouse by hand in 1973. During his childhood, Justin was nicknamed "He-Man
He-Man
He-Man is a fictional heroic character featured in the Masters of the Universe media franchise. In most variations, he is the alter ego of Prince Adam...
" due to his large stature. He would run through his home yelling catchphrases from Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe is a media franchise created by Mattel....
such as "By the power of Grayskull
Castle Grayskull
Castle Grayskull is a fortress located on the fictional planet Eternia. It forms a central location in the Masters of the Universe toy/comic/animation universe, and also appears in the 1987 live action adaptation....
!" or "I have the power!". During his youth, Tuck frequently attended Elam II Missionary Baptist Church in his native Kellyton, resulting in Justin becoming the congregation's youngest Sunday School
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
instructor.
After the Giants Super Bowl victory, Tuck achieved a new level of celebrity in his native Alabama. "It was interesting when I went home (to Alabama)," Tuck said. "You couldn't go anywhere without people asking for your autograph or telling you congratulations or how proud they were of you and things like that." The newfound celebrity also extended to New York, where Tuck and Giants wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Amani Toomer
Amani Toomer
Amani Toomer is a retired American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan, where he was a fan favorite.Toomer has also been a member of the Kansas...
were honored by Congressman Charles Rangel at the ball field at Harlem River Park on February 20, 2008. The community celebration was in honor of the Giants' Super Bowl XLII victory. Three days later, he and several Giants players were honored as "special guests" during a historic title unification
Championship unification
Championship unification is the act of combining two or more separate professional wrestling championships into a single title.-History:In professional wrestling, championships may be unified to consolidate the number of championships in a given promotion, or to add legitimacy and prestige to a...
bout in Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
between heavyweight boxers Wladimir Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko is a Ukrainian heavyweight boxer. Klitschko is the WBA , IBF, WBO Super, IBO & Ring Magazine Champion. His older brother Vitali Klitschko is the current WBC champion...
and Sultan Ibragimov
Sultan Ibragimov
Sultan-Ahmed Magomedsalihovich Ibragimov, is a retired professional boxer and a former WBO heavyweight champion. He is of Avar Dagestani Muslim descent...
. The following month, Tuck was again honored for his Super Bowl performance. He exchanged a game-worn football jersey for a game-used hockey stick
Hockey stick
A hockey stick is a piece of equipment used in field hockey, ice hockey or roller hockey to move the ball or puck.- Field hockey :Field hockey sticks have an end which varies in shape, often depending on the players position...
with New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
captain Jaromír Jágr
Jaromir Jagr
Jaromír Jágr is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League . Jágr formerly played with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, and New York Rangers, serving as captain of the Penguins and the Rangers...
. After only his second ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
game, Tuck quipped "I am hooked. It's football on ice."
Tuck has participated in various philanthropic causes. Tuck and Giants teammate Michael Strahan
Michael Strahan
Michael Anthony Strahan is a former National Football League defensive end who played his entire career for the New York Giants; a career where he set the record for the most sacks in a single season and won a Super Bowl in his final year. He is currently a football analyst on Fox NFL Sunday, and...
teamed up with Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
to design their own exclusive pair of sneakers for ID studio in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. All proceeds of the sneakers were donated to Nike’s Let Me Play global campaign. Tuck was also featured on the second season of "Cake Boss" when he ordered a cake shaped like a billiards table for the first annual celebrity billiards event for his charity "Tuck's Rush for Literacy."