New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson found himself at the center of controversy on January 2 after being spotted courtside at a New York Knicks game, a public appearance that immediately reignited speculation about the team’s draft-position intentions.
New York Post reporter Jared Schwartz shared a photo of Johnson smiling at Madison Square Garden, noting that the second-year tight end had already been ruled out of Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Dallas Cowboys due to an undisclosed illness. Johnson also missed Week 17 with the same issue, raising eyebrows given his energetic appearance at the game.
While it’s impossible to definitively say Johnson wasn’t ill, attending a packed NBA game while sidelined for a second straight week doesn’t exactly pass the optics test. With the season nearly over, critics argue Johnson could have waited until the offseason to attend or pushed to return for Week 18, fueling renewed whispers that the Giants may be prioritizing draft position over wins.
Those rumors had briefly cooled after New York defeated the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 17 — a win that helped quiet claims of intentional losing. However, that matchup itself was scrutinized, as both teams ruled out several players leading up to kickoff, creating what many saw as a public chess match between two struggling franchises.
The Giants’ victory over the Raiders may provide cover should the league ever examine tanking allegations, but Johnson’s Knicks appearance has once again placed the organization under an unwanted spotlight. Even if the Giants aren’t attempting to lose games on purpose, the optics of a player ruled out with an illness attending a high-profile event are far from ideal.
Social media reactions were swift and unforgiving. Fans mocked the situation, questioned Johnson’s availability, and criticized the organization’s professionalism. Some joked about his on-field struggles, while others outright labeled the Giants an “unserious franchise.” A smaller segment of fans, however, applauded the move, suggesting Johnson was simply “embracing the tank.”
While an NFL investigation remains unlikely, the incident serves as another example of how quickly perception can shift for a rebuilding team — especially when decisions off the field raise as many questions as the ones on it.
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