Feagles expected to retire this week

Now we know why the Giants drafted a punter in the seventh round.

Jeff Feagles, the team’s incumbent, 44-year-old punter spoke to Tom Coughlin last week and told the Giants coach that he’s reconsidering his decision to play one more season. Feagles is apparently suffering some “physical issues” Coughlin said and isn’t sure he can keep playing.
In fact, Coughlin said “yes” he would be surprised if Feagles ultimately decides to play another year.

“Jeff is really not sure that physically he’s going to be able to do it,” said Giants general manager Jerry Reese. “He’s been working out really hard in the offseason trying to get himself ready to go. I think in his mind he really wanted to do it, but I don’t think he’s sure that his body wants to do it.”

Reese and Coughlin both said the expect a final answer from Feagles sometime next week, but it seemed pretty clear that they expect the punter to retire. Coughlin said he was “surprised” when Feagles - - who re-signed with the team for one more year earlier this month - - called him and then came in to meet with him in person. But clearly he understood.

“He’s 44 years old,” Coughlin said. “He worked very hard for approximately a month right after the season just to try to tell himself again that he could do it and wanted to be able to do it. He’s having some physical issues and he decided to deal with them.

“Jeff was trying to do the right thing by letting us know with the draft in front of us,” Coughlin added. “He did the honorable thing, having the best interest of our team at heart. Whether we were going to do anything about it or not, that was up to us.

“Obviously we felt it was important enough to act.”

The Giants already have Jy Bond, the converted Australian Rules Football player, on their roster as a punter, but they still decided to draft East Carolina punter Matt Dodge in the seventh round. Reese said Dodge has a “big leg, powerful … This guy can hit some moon shots.” Coughlin said he was one of only two punters the Giants considered to be draftable this year.

One thing Dodge can’t do, though, is hold on field goals - - something Feagles has become an expert at during his 22-year NFL career (seven seasons with the Giants). The only current player on the roster with experience as a holder is new backup quarterback Jim Sorgi.

Feagles, as you know, has the NFL record for consecutive games played - - 352 straight in the regular season. Dodge was just 14 months old when Feagles made his NFL debut on Sept. 4, 1988.

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(nydailynews.com)