The Giants got a great deal out of Brandon Jacobs in his seven years with them but a parting of the ways has come.
Unable to reach to an agreement on a restructured contract, the Giants on Friday terminated the contract of the bruising running back, a player who was a part of two Super Bowl championship teams.
“Brandon has truly been a great Giant,” said general manager Jerry Reese, who met with Jacobs on Friday and informed him of the team’s decision. “These times are always very hard for me. We had a very good conversation today. We don’t know what the future holds for Brandon, but we wish only the very best for him and his family.”
Tom Coughlin said, “Brandon helped us win two world championships. He always did what was in the best interest of team. No matter what you asked him to do, he performed and played in whatever role we asked him to perform.
“He really was a team player. I have always felt like Brandon could be counted on. He’s a guy that is very, very good in meetings for me. He pays attention. He picks up on the message. He loves the excitement of the game. He loves everything about it :the pregame routine, the talking to his teammates, trying to motivate his teammates. He loves every part of it.”
Jacobs, 29, wanted to return and knew he was not going to be able to play for the $4.4 million he was scheduled to earn in 2012. Last week, he reiterated he wanted to stay but cautioned, “I’m not willing to sell my soul, you know? It’s a great organization and I want to be a part of it, but if not, if they’re not feeling the same way, then so be it.”
The Giants wanted Jacobs to return for an eighth season but only at their price. He has dropped on the depth chart, from starter to reserve running back behind Ahmad Bradshaw and this season was one of his least productive, with 571 yards and an average of 3.8 yards per rushing attempt.
He had a roster bonus of $500,000 scheduled to be paid March 17, a bonus he was not going to see come his way. With the salary, roster bonus and $100,000 workout bonus wiped off the books, the Giants save $5 million on their salary cap.
That savings, added to the $6.75 million in cap relief gained when Eli Manning restructured his deal this week, was imperative because the NFL free agency signing period begins Tuesday.
“It’s been a great ride,” Jacobs said. “It’s a great organization, a standup organization. I had fun. Won two Super Bowls here. I accomplished a lot in my career as a professional athlete here. That’s it. It’s been a good ride. Time to move on.”
Jacobs last year had to take a pay cut in order to retain his place on the roster. He leaves as the fourth-leading rusher in franchise history with 4,849 yards, and no one who ever played for the Giants has more than his 56 rushing touchdowns.
The 6-4, 264-pound runner often set a punishing tone for the Giants offense, first as a goal-line back behind Tiki Barber and later as the featured runner. His best seasons came in 2007 and 2008 when he had his two 1,000-rushing seasons. In 2008, he had 15 rushing touchdowns.
“They’re all great accomplishments,” Jacobs said. “I might be leaving, but my name will stay. The fans have been great for me. Everything has been good. A standup organization. I was very close with a lot of people in the organization. They’re all a bunch of great people. The Mara family, the Tisch family, everybody’s great. I just want to thank them for the opportunity that they’ve given me.
“But it’s time to move on. We tried, couldn’t reach an agreement. It’s been great, though. I can’t say anything negative about anybody in the organization. (Running backs coach) Jerald Ingram, hands down, probably the best coach I’ve ever experienced as an athlete. He knows so much about the game and I learned a lot from him as well.”