#Giants’ Leonard Williams motivated by Michael Strahan meeting

There are so many reasons why the Giants won Super Bowls after the 2007 and 2011 seasons and for much of the past decade have been a dreadful team. Failing to replicate and replace their once-feared pass rush is near the top of the reasons list. 

The player who started it all off for the past two championships, Michael Strahan, will have his No. 92 retired at halftime of Sunday’s game against the Eagles at MetLife Stadium. It will be a moment to reflect on what was and what, sadly, is now. 

“I know he had a 22-sack year, which is a record,’’ Leonard Williams, currently the Giants’ best defensive lineman, said. “I know he had number 92, because when I first got here, I wanted to get 92 and I couldn’t get it. I’m proud of 99 though. 

“He’s obviously a legend on and off the field, and I think that’s what makes him such a guy is what he’s done off the field, as well. This past offseason I was in Denver actually for a financial-seminar thing where I’m trying to figure out what to do outside of football, what to do with your money and he was one of the speakers that was there — on his private jet FaceTiming us. It was a little bit of motivation for everybody, you know? Like, we want to be on a private jet FaceTiming one day, so what can we do after football? I think that’s what people love about Michael Strahan, he’s such a good people person. One of his biggest messages to us was just be yourself. Don’t fake it. People are going to know if you’re faking and just be yourself.’’ 

It is not looking good for rookie WR Kadarius Toney this week. He did not practice on Thursday, sitting out with a quad injury after not working on Wednesday. The Giants will have a longer practice on Friday, and if Toney cannot get on the field he will have no chance to play against the Eagles. 

It is also looking as if TE Kyle Rudolph (ankle) will not recover in time to play on Sunday. Rudolph hurt his ankle last week on his only reception of the game, a 28-yard gain in Tampa. … Special-teamer Nate Ebner was placed on injured reserve. … WR Sterling Shepard (quad) did not practice and will miss his fourth straight game. 

The Giants did not play on Thanksgiving but they nonetheless suffered a loss. They own the Bears’ 2022 first-round draft pick and that pick dropped from No. 7 to No. 8 when the Bears kicked a field goal in the final second to beat the Lions 16-14. 

TE Deon Yelder was added to the practice squad. Yelder, undrafted out of Western Kentucky, won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs and this year has kicked around with Washington, the Titans and the Buccaneers.