Did ya’ll watch Hard Knocks this year? Excuse me.

This year, the New York Giants have been the subject of relentless ridicule and viral memes all year. For good reason, folks! It seems they made an all-time idiotic move in choosing to pay Daniel Jones instead of Saquon Barkley. They disrespected a franchise legend to save a few dollars, then still couldn’t holler at the playoffs (6-11 season). They conducted poor business, aggravating a good-natured player to the point where he felt justified in saying something like this on camera. He was still a good soldier, putting his faith in the front office and playing nice for his team. Barkley signed the franchise tag and played for New York two years ago.

You see, they bought into the league-wide trend that running backs are mostly replaceable and not great as high-value investments past their rookie contracts. The downfall of the running back position has been well documented. The ironic thing is that the Giants had one of the very few specimens in the league capable of challenging this idea. An additional ironic thing is, they paid a quarterback that not many would’ve said they had blind faith in… he looked to be leaning closer to ‘bust’ status than ‘superstar’ status. Big Blue decision-makers just didn’t have the gumption to get rid of a passer and face Big Apple public criticism… they had to show people he was the problem.

The leadership team for the New York Football Giants convinced ownership that removing Saquon from the equation would finally make a true evaluation on Daniel Jones possible. We honestly saw that dynamic play out in Philly as well… people were criticizing Jalen Hurts all year for not having passing production. You don’t have to if you have the dynamo that is Barkley in your backfield! He powers the offense all by himself, easing the QB’s job tremendously. GM, Joe Schoen even made a comment about how their investment at QB necessitated the reallocation of resources to support the signal caller. This has to be what happened, right? Otherwise, the public embarrassment from such an epically poor business decision would surely get the acting party fired on sight!

I can’t argue with the logic behind the idea, since I would’ve agreed that Daniel Jones did not look like a difference-maker, but you shafted one of your all-time greats. Execution was putrid my guys. And to top it all the way off, you did it while finally getting your 15 minutes of fame on Hard Knocks and ended up looking like fools in front of a national audience. The optics are bad for New York… the owner said he couldn’t sleep at night if S.B. Went to the Eagles, and that’s exactly what happened. Not only that, Philly looked rejuvenated, snagging the #2 seed in the NFC playoff picture and riding a deep playoff run all the way to a Super Bowl title.

I mean, can you think of a worse display of aptitude at the job of general manager of an NFL team? We could all see, plain as day, that Joe Schoen got taken for a ride and looked behind the NFL curve. Saquon tore it up, resetting vibe around the league (along with Derick Henry) of how valuable a bell cow back can be to an offense. Barkley was running roughshod over the league until KC made a concerted effort to shut him down at all costs on the game’s biggest stage. What happened then? Hurts reminded everyone that he is in fact not Daniel Jones, taking the reins of the offense back and delivering a Super Bowl MVP performance.

How embarrassing to see your franchise icon go to a rival, post a video about how his daughter knows he’s going to win now, and then see that come to fruition in the ultimate form of a Lombardi trophy… GM’s have been fired for much, much less (Jon Robinson after he traded away A.J. Brown, anyone?).

Somehow Giants brass did not get fired after this entire mess! But how? HOW SWAY?!

The only way this is really going down, is if they framed the removal of Barkley as a tool and a path to true change of a stagnant offense. It was their way of being able to get rid of Daniel Jones with no backlash. The only way it makes sense now, is if they go and get their franchise QB. John Mara is allowing the string to play out because he believes in Brian Daboll as a coach and believes in the vision (or believes in allowing the vision to play out) the way that Daboll and Schoen laid out. The plan heavily involves young bucks like Malik Nabers, Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Wan’Dale Robinson.

(Book)Mark my words: The New York Giants will draft a quarterback! Bet that, even if they sign A-A-Ron. (editors note: I originally said that they’d trade UP to get one… but the return of Myles Garrett to Cleveland, Kirk Cousins visiting Ohio and NY signing two vet QB’s changes things. They still have all of the leverage and motivation to take one somewhere early, though). That was the plan (Plan B, if they could not become a contender around Danny Dimes) two years ago. Will it work? Beats the hell out of me! One thing is for certain: you don’t do everything you did just to play around and rely on maybe Sam Darnold in free agency…

How does it feel when you prove someone wrong who doubted you? How about when some bozo doesn’t take your advice, and you were proved right?! Do you gloat a little when you see an ex has a little misfortune or finds someone who can’t measure up to you…

Are you Mr. Highroad? Please, I know you’ve felt satisfaction in seeing a showboating athlete get dominated. C’mon, swing that leg down from the high horse bud. One of the great poets of our generation once said, “revenge is like the sweetest joy, next to getting cookies!” (or something like that from Mr. Shakur).

Maybe you’re one of those that is cringing at the above level of pettiness… please, spare us all don’t act like you don’t think a little thing called KARMA makes the world a better and more fair place!

We know you like it revel in it for a hot second. Let the tiniest of smirks slowly creep across your lips for three beats. Apparently, some of you agree.

The matchups below are no mere “player faces his former team”… OHHH NO!! We need better than that. MUCH better.

The Harbaugh Bowl doesn’t cut it. That’s going to be a brotherly love fest. Rams against Lions will not make this list. Stafford and Detroit have respect for each other. I can’t say the same for Goff, but it doesn’t scratch that itch quite enough.

Even after some of these players get paid a king’s ransom, a few will be driven by the powerful thirst for revenge.

These games are the ones packed with the most acrimony, and each figure will have malice in their hearts when they get a chance to enact some long-awaited vengeance on gameday.

Remember Baltimore Steve Smith Sr. promising blood and guts, then eviscerating the team that gave up on him, in the Panthers? One of the most dramatic revenge games I’ve ever seen was Seattle and the 12’s vs. Broncos QB, Russell Wilson. The DJ was playing an all-Future playlist before the game all to get in the head of a player that forced his way out, complaining about teammates, head coach, general manager, and trying to get the latter two fired.

There were many candidates for this list… but as I said, only the most toxic will do

10. Bears, D’Andre Swift @ Lions, David Montgomery (Week 13) – This man Swift chose Chicago so he could tear the Lions a NEW ONE for not letting him join the Detroit ascent, after all he sacrificed! Let’s not forget that Montgomery always looks angry, and his successor in Chicago (Khalil Herbert) has not lived up to his contributions. These two are in position to deliver some literal body blows to their former employers.

9. Texans vs. Titans (Week 12) – The Titans sure riled up the division rival Texans last year by wearing the Oilers throwbacks. Controversial because Tennessee owns the rights to the Houston throwbacks due to the move. (That’s terrible. I’m so relieved that Seattle retained the rights to the Sonics’ team colors, logo and history). You think owner, Cal McNair is just itching to use the new baby blue accent jerseys against Amy Adams Strunk’s team?

8. 49ers, K.J. Wright @ Seahawks (Week 6) – Our beloved legend, Kenneth Bernard Wright Jr. accepted a job with the hated Niners when the Seahawks declined to hire him. He said, this isn’t some revenge thing… yes, it is K.J. we can see right through the high-road talk so go on and try to prove what you need to prove big fella. May the Niners do terribly as a team (so Seattle can avenge a season sweep last year), but Wright’s coaching job allow him to get hired in a few years as a coach for SEATTLE (where he belongs).

7. Seahawks, Geno Smith / Leonard Williams / Tariq Woolen vs. Jets, D.J. Reed / Sauce Gardner (Week 13) – Geno and Williams both face former teams that got rid of them, while D.J. Reed is in the very same position on the other side. He absolutely is out to prove something against the Seahawks each and every time out. Meanwhile, the real battle may be centered around the ongoing debate about if Riq the Freak should’ve won DROY over Sauce after the 2022 season. There’s probably also still a little residual hate for the Hawks in the heart of Aaron Rodgers, marinating from his epic battles with the L.O.B. when he was with the Packers.

6. Chiefs, Hollywood Brown vs. Ravens (Week 1) – The very first game of the season is going to hit like processed sugar at an 8-year old’s birthday party. Baltimore was having a magical season, with DC, Mike Macdonald leading the top defense in the league, and Lamar tearing it up on offense to win a 2nd MVP title. The Chiefs knocked them off in an upset in the AFC ‘ship, and Kansas City went on to win the title that matters most: a Lombardi trophy Brown is happy about his escape from Baltimore, but the Ravens now have a Derrick Henry.

5. Chiefs @ 49ers (Week 7) – The team in Santa Clara lost two Super Bowls in four years to the same team… Youch! This includes the first ever Super Bowl to go to OT, just 3 months ago! Talk about heartbreak. This is a new season, and a chance to get up off the mat and exorcise some demons.

4. Lions @ 49ers (Week 17) – The Lions get to face the team that killed the wave of feverish, boundless optimism in Detroit. It was a bitter defeat at the hands of the 49ers after Detroit took a 24-7 lead in an NFC Championship game that had them dreaming of the Super Bowl (a place no Lions has ever been). You should’ve heard the crowd at the draft whenever any Niner stepped to the mic Yeah there’s some scorn in there.

3. Texans, Stefon Diggs @ Vikings (Week 3), vs. Bills (Week 5) – Here’s a 2-for-1 deal for ya’ll! Diggs may have had falling outs with two teams in his career, being traded twice despite his incredible talents. He may still have feelings about Minnesota, but his most recent exit from Buffalo might still be hurting. Look for him to come out with some competitive fire.

2. Eagles, Saquon Barkley @ Giants (Week 7) – Barkley heads back to Pennsylvania by joining a division rival, and everyone (including Tiki Barber) had something to say about it. It all felt a little personal, especially after the Giants repeatedly refused to pay him, choosing instead to pay one Daniel Jones. Saquon’s daughter dealt the most crushing blow, by saying, “Daddy, does this mean we are gonna win now?” HOO BOY, this is gonna get New York fans’ (assuredly the most reasonable fan base… right?) blood boiling.

1. Steelers, Russell Wilson @ Broncos (Week 2) – Now THIS is what we’re talking about people! Denver is deciding to pay Wilson $85M to not play for them, after trading the aforementioned king’s ransom, then subsequently casting him aside like trash. You know Russell will be motivated to show that he isn’t washed, and most of all to save his legacy. Sean Payton embarrassed and wrested control of the organization from RW3. This will be a fascinating game, and possibly one of the most memorable of the season.

Honorable Mention:
Vikings, Dallas Turner & J.J. McCarthy vs. Falcons, Cousins (Week 14) – Look, these are rookies, so they may not have a whole lot of spite in their hearts yet. But how about a chip on the shoulder? Turner was widely being mocked as the pass rusher (and defender, in general) off the board in the 2024 NFL Draft… but he watched as a record, 14 consecutive offensive players were selected. Then a different dude was taken by the Colts at 15. McCarthy may have something to prove for all who doubted him, desiring to get in on the action against a team who surprisingly took Michael Penix Jr. at QB. Of course, Captain Kirk will be motivated to show the Vikings that they should’ve given him a deal that would’ve kept him in purple.