Back in 2007, the season when the New York Giants won the Super Bowl, the Giants’ defensive line was nothing short of impeccable. Michael Strahan was a veteran. Osi Umenyiora was established. And Justin Tuck was the rising star in his third season. Three different players. Three different stages. But during a quiet Friday walk into the stadium, Tuck said something Osi had never heard from a young player, something the ex-NFLer has only revealed now.

“Tuck was like our younger brother who became like the guy,” Osi recalled when the NFL legend, Ndamukong Suh, asked who among Osi, Strahan, and Tuck was the most competitive. “And the craziest story I’ve ever seen in my life, this was 07 (2007 season), me and Strahan were starting. But Tuck was rotating in. So, we’re walking to the stadium, and Tuck is like, ‘Man, I can’t wait to kick this guy out of the league.’ And I look at him, I’m like, ‘Who are you talking to?’ He was like, ‘Him, Michael Strahan.'”

Tuck was talking about kicking Michael Strahan out of the league. But not out of disrespect. Not because of any personal beef. It was just Tuck, half joking and half dead serious. Because deep down, he believed he was ready to be the guy at defensive end. And context matters here.

In 2006, Strahan suffered a Lisfranc fracture against the Houston Texans, an injury that ended his season and playoffs. When he didn’t report to training camp the following year, retirement suddenly felt like a real possibility. Things became even murkier by the time the Giants reached their third preseason game against the New York Jets.

Strahan was still MIA. The team genuinely didn’t know if he’d return at all. That uncertainty opened the door for Justin Tuck, who got the nod to start against the Jets. And he made sure the opportunity didn’t go unnoticed.

After the Jets scored on a long touchdown on the opening play, Tuck immediately flipped the tone. He stuffed Leon Washington for short gains on back-to-back snaps, then dropped Chad Pennington for a sack on third down. Later, he teamed up with Osi for another sack. The Giants lost 20–12, but the scoreboard didn’t tell the real story.

The coaches noticed.

“A very, very good game,” Coach Tom Coughlin said of Tuck during a conference call. “A very strong game.”

Even then, Tuck’s place in the starting lineup wasn’t guaranteed. Everyone still expected Strahan to return. But what stood out was how Tuck handled it. No bitterness. No ego. Just respect for the man whose job he was technically trying to take. In fact, Tuck didn’t hide how highly he thought of Strahan.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Tuck said in 2007, who believed that Strahan’s return was imminent. “He’s by far, in the last 10 years, the best defensive end to play this game. He’s an amazing teammate. I have no mixed feelings about seeing No. 92 in this locker room over there. As a matter of fact, if you’re looking at me right now, 92, please come.”

And then, Michael Strahan did come back. He returned for the 2007 season, his final one, and played every regular-season game. Fresh off injury, he still racked up 57 combined tackles and nine sacks, anchoring a defense that helped power the Giants to a Super Bowl win. And ahead of the 2008 season, Strahan eventually hung up his cleats with 141.5 career sacks, 854 career tackles, four career interceptions, and 24 forced fumbles.

As for Justin Tuck? Even while starting only a handful of games, he finished the season with better numbers than both Strahan and Osi, quietly proving that his confidence on that Friday walk wasn’t just talk. It was foresight.

Justin Tuck’s performance in Michael Strahan’s final season guaranteed him a starting job

In Michael Strahan’s final NFL season, Justin Tuck started only a couple of games. Still, it ended up being the best year of his career to that point. Tuck finished the regular season with 65 tackles, 10 sacks, and two forced fumbles, all while rotating in and spelling both Strahan and Osi Umenyiora at defensive end. And that production didn’t go unnoticed.

The Giants’ front office made sure of that, rewarding Tuck before the season even ended. In January 2008, he signed a five-year, $30 million contract extension that included $16 million guaranteed and a $9 million signing bonus. Then came Super Bowl night. Tuck played so well that many felt he had a stronger case for MVP honors than quarterback Eli Manning.

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Fast forward to the 2008 season, and Tuck finally got what he had been working toward all along: the starting job. He followed it up with an even better year, posting 67 combined tackles, 12 sacks, and three forced fumbles. And just like that, after taking over the role once held by Michael Strahan, Tuck wrapped up his NFL career a few seasons later following a stint with the Oakland Raiders.