As heroes go, Josh Brown qualifies as one of the most awkward of all for the Giants.
But there he was on Sunday at MetLife Stadium: Kicking the game-winning field goal in the Giants’ 16-13 home-opening victory over the Saints in his first game back from the one-game suspension he served last week for his involvement in a domestic violence incident involving his then wife.
The Giants, of course, will take it any way they can get it because they’re 2-0 for the first time since 2009. And at the end of the day, that matters a lot more than whatever public perception is out there about whether or not Brown should or should not still be on the team.
Brown’s 23-yard field goal as time expired provided the winning margin in a tight game in which the teams were never separated by more than seven points and in which the Giants’ offense failed to score a touchdown and turned the ball over three times.
It came in Brown’s first game back after he was forced to miss last week’s season opener against Dallas for his one-game suspension doled out by the league for violating its personal conduct policy.
After declining to speak to reporters last week, the focus of Brown’s postgame interview Sunday was much more on his domestic violence incident than the execution of the snap, hold and kick on the game-winning field goal.
Brown’s suspension stemmed from his arrest on May 22, 2015, on a single misdemeanor charge of domestic violence after an altercation with his then-wife at their Woodinville, Wash., home. The charge against Brown was dismissed on May 27, 2015, but one day later, Brown’s wife, from whom he is now divorced, told police in an interview that Brown was physically violent with her on some 20 occasions.
The day after Brown’s suspension was announced last month, he told reporters the incident that led to his arrest was “just a moment.’’ Before Sunday, he had declined to comment.
After Sunday’s game, he was peppered about the incident.
“It was good to be back,’’ Brown said. “Long week last week. It was hard to watch the [Dallas] game. But it was great to be out there and to be able to kick again and get a win under our belt. This was a big day.’’
Brown did his best not to bristle as questions about the incident continued to come at him.
“I can understand social perceptions,’’ he said. “But I’m not going to go hunting down what the opinions are because the opinions are probably going to be wrong.’’
Oddly, there was not a hint of contrition in Brown’s tone.
When asked about his now ex-wife’s statement to police that there were some 20 incidents, Brown did not confirm or deny.
“I have nothing to say about it — literally nothing,’’ he said. “It was a single moment, an act. My family and I have addressed these issues long before anybody else ever found out or talked about it. My family and I have moved on. My concern is my children and that’s it.’’
Asked if he has regrets about his comments or wants to change his message, Brown said, “No, not one thing.’’
Brown said he went to a friend’s house near his home in Washington to watch the Giants game against Dallas last Sunday, saying, “The first part of the game was pretty emotional. After a quarter or so I was able to kind of calm myself down and enjoy the game and cheer my guys on.’’
Brown said he was “very happy’’ and “appreciated’’ that Giants co-owner John Mara “stood behind’’ him and did not release him, adding, “I’ll continue to do whatever I can to make sure they never regret their decision.’’
Sunday was a good start.