Antrel Rolle Calls Out Coughlin

New York Giants Pro Bowl safety Antrel Rolle waited until Week 2 of his first season with the club to go off on his head coach and teammates. You may recall the former Cardinals player complaining that Giants coach Tom Coughlin dropped the team off at the stadium too early in Indianapolis and he questioned the team's leadership skills.

Things eventually calmed down and Rolle seemed to enjoy himself with his new team. He made some ridiculous comments about fans booing the Giants, but for the most part, he became well-liked by his new teammates. But as ESPNNewYork.com's Ohm Youngmisuk points out, Rolle was up to his old tricks while appearing on a radio show in Miami. He thinks Coughlin could stand to loosen up a bit more. You know, like the head coach who shares a home field with the Giants.

"As a person I don't have any problem with Coach Coughlin," Rolle said. "We have a great relationship. When you're talking about the coaching side of things, do I feel like things are a little too uptight? Yeah, I do. I feel like if he just loosened up just a little bit, still run the ship the way you want to run it, still run the program the way you want to run it but let us have a little fun ... because at the end of the day that's what it's all about."

"And people like to talk about Rex Ryan and this that and the other. That team is going to war for him," Rolle added.

Someone needs to plant a bug in Rolle's ear that he's made enough war references for one season. And maybe they could also remind him that it seems like poor form to pine away for the coach of their neighborhood rival. To make matters worse, Giants safety Kenny Phillips followed Rolle's lead and started praising Ryan. (What's said in Miami doesn't stay in Miami.)

"I would love to play for a guy like Rex," Phillips said. "He goes to bat for his players. He'll take the blame, he allows you to be you. He's not asking you to hide. If you're a guy that likes to talk, go out and talk, long as you back it up. Like [Antrel] said, his guys are playing for him and I'd love to be a part of that."

From what I can tell, Rolle and Phillips continued to embarrass themselves throughout the interview. Perhaps the safeties could have a little more "fun" if they weren't allowing Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson to shred them for big gains during a blowout loss to the Packers.

One of the Giants' biggest issues down the stretch was the back end of the defense. And when general manager Jerry Reese is trying to decide how to address those issues this offseason, something tells me he'll remember those comments from Rolle and Phillips.

Sometimes it's OK to lay low when you've collapsed at the end of the season and blown an opportunity to make the playoffs. Rolle and Phillips apparently missed the memo.

Click here to order Antrel Rolle’s proCane Rookie Card.



(espn.com)