NEW YORK — Giants center Joe Looney retired out of nowhere on Wednesday, just four days after signing with the team, a source told the New York Daily News.
Looney, 30, stepped away due to a personal situation and not because of any issue with coach Joe Judge’s program, a source said.
The center’s agent told NFL Network that “his body didn’t respond the way it needed to” and “he has too much respect for the Giants and Coach [Jason] Garrett,” to stay.
The Giants offensive coordinator was Looney’s head coach for four seasons in Dallas from 2016-19. Looney said Monday that his family is still in Dallas, too.
The veteran center’s first two practices included Monday penalty laps for early snaps and Tuesday gassers and push-ups after a team-wide brawl. But a source said he and the Giants parted ways amicably.
Looney’s retirement was first reported by ESPN. The news is jarring because Looney had a chance to start for the Giants.
He’d stepped right in as their second-string center. He’d taken a couple first-team snaps with Daniel Jones on Monday. And he had the ability to flex to guard.
Looney’s retirement is also alarming because he is the second recent Giants veteran signing in two days to retire and the third to leave since the start of camp.
Receiver Kelvin Benjamin made his loud exit last Wednesday, and linebacker Todd Davis retired on Tuesday after signing this past Saturday.
Davis, 29, also was in line for a significant role when he unexpectedly hung up his cleats. He hadn’t even done much on-field work.
“It was the timing of everything,” Davis told 9NEWS. “I had worked really hard to get to a certain point in my career and it kind of felt like people were asking me to start all over. I would have loved to keep playing at that level but if that’s not where I’m asked to play then I think it’s time for me to move on.”
Without Looney at center, the Giants’ depth chart includes starter Nick Gates and veteran Jonotthan Harrison, and rookie Brett Heggie in reserve. Heggie struggled early in camp as the second-string center, though, and already was bumped out to right guard when Looney arrived.
The Giants reportedly had considered hosting free agent Austin Reiter for a workout, so maybe they’ll follow through there.
