Kayvon Thibodeaux details relationship with Michael Strahan, advice he has been given

Now that he’s a member of the New York Giants, former Oregon Duck Kayvon Thibodeaux has some pretty high expectations thrust upon him. Not just for being the number five pick in the 2022 NFL Draft but also for all the legendary pass rushers the Giants have had in franchise history. One of them has begun to develop a bond with Thibodeaux in Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan. And according to Thibodeaux, this relationship was established before he became a Giant.

“Well, I have some good people at Oregon who already envisioned me being like him one day and how big he’s become. So we had mutual friends through Oregon,” said Thibodeaux. “The people there, they connected us. I was able to get on Zoom with him, chop it up with him. I think this was when I was still in school, so it was last year probably, fall camp actually was when I had the first Zoom with him. And then I got to meet him, now. Actually seeing him and really talking to him and getting that build that relationship has been dope.”

Strahan’s advice to Thibodeaux

After months of speculation surrounding Thibodeaux’s motivation and perceived concerns surrounding his off-field interests, Thibodeaux has ultimately landed with a franchise that values his immense physical gifts and production at the college level. He becomes the sixth-highest drafted player in program history. Later on, Thibodeaux also revealed what advice Strahan has been giving him to make it big in the Big Apple.

“Just to keep the main thing the main thing and that’s kind of been the focus of all that. Football is gonna be that avenue; football gonna be that terminal for everything you want to do after. So as long as you keep the main thing the main thing, and he also shed light to the idea that people thought the same thing about him. Like man you must have had this planned. But for him, he shared with me that it took him being great to really cultivate you know everything he did off the field and he kind of just fell into place.”

Thibodeaux was the No. 2 overall player in his class and ended up with the Oregon Ducks. After some questions on where he would fall, New York pulled the trigger with the fifth overall pick. Considered one of the top edge rushers in the draft, the Giants will be hoping he can be a franchise staple for years to come.