This was one of those uncomfortable conversations, two players headed in different directions, one about to embark on an exciting new chapter of his NFL career, the other a couple days away from going to the operating room. Rookie tight end Kevin Boss on Tuesday bumped into Jeremy Shockey, who was in the trainers’ room at Giants Stadium.
Tomorrow, Shockey undergoes surgery to repair a fractured left fibula and ankle damage. Sunday, Boss as a result makes his first NFL start as the Giants visit Buffalo looking to lock up an NFC wild-card playoff spot.
Boss told Shockey he was sorry for him and promised to pray for him. Shockey, who despite his edgy demeanor always has shepherded the tight end flock, accepted the encouraging words and offered a few of his own.
“He told me he was real proud of me said ‘You’re ready, go out there and do your thing, ‘” Boss said yesterday.
Just what Boss’ thing is remains to be seen. Though the Giants brace for an assumed decline in pass-catching production and run-blocking, they hope Boss and another rookie, Michael Matthews, can at least hold down the fort adequately enough to gain the victory that will propel the Giants into the postseason for the third consecutive year.
“We’re striving to be what he was,” Matthews said.
The abridged version of the new look is Boss assumes Shockey’s role as a receiving option and Matthews handles the blocking aspects of the position. It’s not as simple as that. Boss, a fifth-round draft pick out of Division II Western Oregon, arrived as a skinny 6-foot-6, 253-pound prospect with great hands and a whole lot of work to do in the weight room. Matthews came aboard as an undrafted free agent from Georgia Tech, a 6-foot-4, 270-pounder who caught four passes as a senior but made the team as a hybrid blocking tight end/fullback.
Less than one season ingrained in the NFL lifestyle has put 17 pounds of muscle on Boss and at 270, he’s better equipped to at least compete at the line of scrimmage.
“In blocking I feel a lot stronger, I feel I can throw my weight around a little, at the same time I feel just as fast or faster,” Boss said.
When Shockey went down and out early in the third quarter of last Sunday’s 22-10 loss to the Redskins, Boss filled in and later in the quarter hauled in his first touchdown catch, on a 19-yard pass over the middle from Eli Manning. Boss was so excited that, instead of carting the ball to the sideline as a keepsake, he handed it to an official. Ed Skiba, the assistant equipment manager, tracked the ball down for Boss, who did remember to point into the stands after the grab to his girlfriend, Bree Ramsey, and older brother Terry, who were at the game.
“It was definitely pretty awesome, it would have been a lot sweeter with a victory to come with it,” Boss said. “It still was an exciting time for me.”
Though they share a position and are both fair-haired, Boss and Shockey are polar opposites in the personality department. “Kevin’s more meek I would say, more to himself, Shockey’s more of an outgoing person,” Matthews said.
Matthews is married with two children. Boss said his girlfriend plans on moving to New Jersey after she finishes nursing school at the University of Portland. Shockey is, well, Shockey, which means nightlife is never in doubt.
“I haven’t been out with him yet, but I’ve been to dinner with him a couple of times,” Boss said of Shockey. “We’re both from small towns, we’re obviously a long way from a small town right now. We get along real well, have a little different personalities, I think we’re both small town kids and we get along.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor.”
But the teacher is now gone, leaving the pupils behind, ready or not.
“It should be a drop-off, he’s a seasoned veteran, he’s a talented guy,” Matthews said. “It will be a task for us to step up and fill his shoes.”