Justin Tuck sounded Thursday like someone about to play his final game as a Giant.
Saying he will be “a little teary-eyed when I walk off the field Sunday,” the veteran defensive end and soon-to-be unrestricted free agent described himself as ready — but not eager — for the possibility he will be playing elsewhere in 2014.
“It’s football — change is inevitable,” Tuck said as the 6-9 Giants prepared to close out their season at home against the Redskins. “It’s a business, and next year I’ll either be here trying to put some more trophies in the trophy room or I’ll be somewhere else trying to put a trophy in the trophy room.”
It is by no means guaranteed Tuck’s ninth season with the Giants will be his last, considering how impressively the former third-round pick has rejuvenated his career this season.
Tuck enters the finale against Washington (a team he collected a career-high four sacks against less than a month ago) with nine sacks overall, matching his total for the two previous, injury-troubled seasons combined. He could be chosen for a third Pro Bowl when the rosters are announced Friday.
That wasn’t what anyone — including the Giants — was expecting from Tuck at age 30, but he has turned back the clock this year and won’t be an easy choice to let go even with Big Blue facing an offseason full of cap-related decisions.
Tuck made it clear Thursday he relishes playing for the team that drafted him out of Notre Dame in 2005 and he helped lead to two Super Bowl victories, saying he “would love to be back.”
But Tuck said he won’t be the first one to make a move in the offseason negotiations, a strong indication he feels he is still in his prime and won’t be interested in giving the Giants a “hometown discount.”
That makes sense considering the premium teams put on pass rushers, although most of the big money at that spot goes to players under 30 (Tuck turns 31 in March).
“I’ll let the process come to me,” Tuck said. “That’s why [general manager] Jerry Reese gets paid a lot of money and my agent gets paid a lot of money. They’ll figure it out. I’m sure they’ll talk, if they haven’t already.”
Tuck said he told his agent at the end of the 2012 season he didn’t want to talk about his contract or be updated on any negotiations, apparently after watching former Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora openly bicker with management for the previous three seasons before signing with the Falcons in free agency last winter.
“I told those guys, ‘I don’t want to hear about it. I just want to focus on the season,’ ’’ Tuck said.
Tuck instead let his play speak for himself, though it took a while for that to happen. Including the memorable performance against the Redskins, 7¹/₂ of Tuck’s sacks have come since Week 11.
That sudden surge was far too late to help the Giants save their season, but several of Tuck’s teammates said Thursday he is still a key part of the team and they couldn’t envision him in another uniform.
“As a free agent, he has a right to go out and do what’s best for him and his family,” defensive teammate Mathias Kiwanuka said. “But for him not to be here in New York, it would be more than strange. I can only imagine they’ll do everything they can to keep him here.’’
Tuck isn’t so sure, which is why he sounded so guarded when asked how he expected to feel when he wakes up on Monday.
“Hopefully, jubilation over a win,” he said. “After that, it will be onto the next stage, finding out where I’ll be employed next season. I don’t know when the decision is going to be.”