After repeated questions yesterday as to the whereabouts of Michael Strahan, his good friend and fellow defensive end, Osi Umenyiora, shook his head in amazement.
“Boy, this guy’s like some kind of rock star, isn’t he?” he exclaimed. “This is crazy.”
It’s as good a word as any to describe this silly episode of “Report or Retire, the Michael Strahan Story.” Just before 4 p.m. on a bright and sunny afternoon, Strahan yesterday actually showed up for work at Giants Stadium, ending a tedious 36-day holdout that cost the seven-time Pro Bowler a good bit of money and – at least temporarily – a portion of the goodwill he instilled in the hearts and minds of fans during his 14 years in a Giants uniform.
Strahan was not on the scene in the morning with the rest of his teammates, who enjoyed a light day starting at 9:15 a.m. of weightlifting and conditioning, followed by a meeting to discuss benefits packages. By noon, the locker room was emptying out with no sign of Strahan. He arrived without issuing any comments, took a physical examination and met with Tom Coughlin and general manager Jerry Reese.
The first practice in preparation for Sunday’s season-opener in Dallas comes this morning, with Strahan on the field, hoping to convince the decision-makers that he can be ready to face the Cowboys in five days.
“The past few weeks are behind us,” Reese said. “We’re moving forward. We’re looking forward to opening the season in Dallas. As I have stated several times since the beginning of training camp, Michael Strahan is a Hall of Fame player and we are a stronger team with him.”
The Giants requested from the league and were granted a roster exemption for Strahan, meaning for the next two weeks – as long as he doesn’t play in any games – he does not count against the 53-player roster. The Giants can activate him at any time in those two weeks and if they do, one player will have to be removed from the roster. The likely scenario is that Strahan proves that he’s in shape and can make a contribution this weekend at Texas Stadium and the Giants activate him later in the week.
“We had a good conversation,” Coughlin said. “He wants to be here and he wants to play and it was obvious to me he wants to get to work and be part of this team. He has always taken tremendous care of himself. We’ll see where he is, and as the week progresses, we’ll evaluate what kind of role he may play this week.”
Strahan’s afternoon arrival had nothing to do with making a statement. Rather, he was ironing out the details of the reduction of the $514,368 in fines he accrued once he failed to report to training camp back on July 27. Sources indicate the Giants have agreed to cut that total in half.
Reese called the delay “some practical, administrative issues that needed to be finalized.”
It may have been Reese who inadvertently put this holdout in motion when back in March he denied Strahan’s request to increase his salary of $4 million. Strahan, 35, is coming off a right mid-foot sprain that caused him last season to miss seven of the last eight games. After he did not show up in Albany for camp, he gave word through his agent that he was contemplating retirement, a thought-process that kept him away for all of camp and all four preseason games.
The physical challenge awaiting Strahan is immense. He must show that his right foot is fully healed, that he can suddenly get himself into football shape and that he can be an asset to the team against a fierce NFC East rival that will show him no mercy. If he’s activated, figure Strahan will share left defensive end in a rotation with Justin Tuck.
“You definitely have to get back accustomed to it,” Umenyiora said. “When I first put my helmet on it feels heavy and the pads feel all awkward. In a couple of days he should be OK.”