EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Nick Gates, who was sidelined for 410 days after suffering a horrific leg injury but returned to the Giants' starting lineup on Thanksgiving, has been named the team's recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award.
"It was pretty cool," said Gates, who learned he received the honor when coach Brian Daboll announced it in a recent team meeting. "I got voted by my teammates for it. I knew I was up for it, but I didn't know I was getting told that day.
"I was a little shocked. I didn't think I was going to get it. (Wide receiver) Sterling (Shepard) was on the list. And I think (quarterback) Daniel Jones, too. Those are two good people – people that are loved by their teammates and are good leaders in the locker room. They display a lot of things that are on that list. So, to be able to get picked in a group like that, it was awesome."
View photos of Giants offensive lineman Nick Gates throughout his NFL career.
Daniel Jones (8), Nick Gates (65), Tyrod Taylor (2)
Nick Gates (65)
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) is carted off the the field after getting injured during an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021 in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)
New York Giants Offensive Line helps at the Food Bank for NYC in Harlem, New York
Nick Gates (65)
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New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) during a NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday November 24, 2022 in Arlington, Texas (Evan Pinkus\New York Giants )
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65)
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) during a NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday November 24, 2022 in Arlington, Texas (Evan Pinkus\New York Giants )
Mark Glowinski (64), Nick Gates (65), Jack Anderson (77)
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) during a NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday November 24, 2022 in Arlington, Texas (Evan Pinkus\New York Giants )
Nick Gates (65)
Jack Anderson (77), Tyre Phillips (79), Matt Peart (74), Jon Feliciano (76), Devery Hamilton (62), Nick Gates (65), Korey Cunningham, Mark Glowinski (64)
New York Giants offensIve lineman Nick Gates (65) signs an autograph following training camp practice at Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Wednesday July 27, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65), Shane Lemieux (66)
Evan Neal (73), Nick Gates (65)
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) lays on the field as members of the team medical staff tend to him during the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021, in Landover, Md. Gates sustained an injury on the play and was carted off the field. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) acknowledges the crowds as he is carted off the field after sustaining an injury during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
New York Giants guard Nick Gates (65) takes part in a week 15 regular season game against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium on Sunday December 15, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Nick Gates (65)
New York Giants guard Nick Gates (65) during a week 16 regular season game against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field on Sunday December 22nd, 2019 in Landover, Maryland
New York Giants guard Nick Gates (65) during a week 17 regular season game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on Sunday December 29th, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) during the coin toss before a preseason game against the New England Patriots on Sunday August 29th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) during minicamp practice at Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Thursday June 10, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Nick Gates (65)
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) celebrates a touchdown with New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) during a preseason game against the New England Patriots on Sunday August 29th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants guard Nick Gates (65) during a training camp scrimmage at Met Life Stadium on Friday August 28, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants guard Nick Gates (65) during a week 10 regular season football game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on November 15th, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants guard Nick Gates (65) and guard Kevin Zeitler (70) during a week 10 regular season football game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on November 15th, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) snaps the ball to New York Giants quarterback Colt McCoy (12) during a week 15 regular season football game against the Cleveland Browns at MetLife Stadium on December 20th, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants guard Nick Gates (65) during a week 17 regular season football game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on January 3, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) during a week 17 regular season football game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on January 3, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) lays on the field as members of the team medical staff tend to him during the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021, in Landover, Md. Gates sustained an injury on the play and was carted off the field. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
New York Giants guard Nick Gates (65) during a training camp practice at Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Tuesday August 18, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
OL Nick Gates (65) at New York Giants Training Camp 2019 at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, NJ
OLB Nick Gates (65) at New York Giants Training Camp 2019 at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, NJ
Nick Gates (65)
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OL Nick Gates (65) at New York Giants Training Camp 2019 at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, NJ
Nick Gates (65), Mark Glowinski (64)
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65)
New York Giants Offensive Line helps at the Food Bank for NYC in Harlem, New York
Andrew Thomas (78), Nick Gates (65)
Daniel Jones (8), Nick Gates (65)
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) during a week 17 regular season football game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on January 3, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65), Johnny Stanton (40)
Nick Gates (65)
Jack Anderson (77), Tyre Phillips (79), Matt Peart (74), Jon Feliciano (76), Devery Hamilton (62), Nick Gates (65), Korey Cunningham, Mark Glowinski (64)
Nick Gates (65)
New York Giants Offensive Line helps at the Food Bank for NYC in Harlem, New York
New York Giants at Washington Football Team 2021
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) during a preseason game against the New York Jets on Saturday August 14th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65), Daniel Jones (8)
Nick Gates (65), Daniel Jones (8)
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) and Daniel Jones (8) during a game against the New England Patriots on August 29, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants Offensive Line helps at the Food Bank for NYC in Harlem, New York
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) during a game against the New England Patriots on August 29, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants guard Nick Gates participates during a scrimmage at the NFL football team's training camp, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Cleveland Browns' Malcolm Smith (56) breaks up a pass to New York Giants' Nick Gates (65) from Riley Dixon (9) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York Giants running back Wayne Gallman (22) celebrates a touchdown with New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) during an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020 in Landover, Md. The Giants defeated Washington 23-20 (Amanda Bowen via AP)
New York Giants guard Nick Gates (65) in action during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) prepares to snap the ball during an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Denver Broncos won 27-13. (AP Photo/Steve Luciano)
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) during a NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday November 21, 2022 in East Rutherford, NJ (Evan Pinkus\New York Giants )
Daniel Jones (8), Nick Gates (65), Tyrod Taylor (2)
Jack Anderson (77), Tyre Phillips (79), Matt Peart (74), Jon Feliciano (76), Devery Hamilton (62), Nick Gates (65), Korey Cunningham, Mark Glowinski (64)
Nick Gates (65), Mark Glowinski (64)
Mark Glowinski (64), Nick Gates (65)
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) during a NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday November 24, 2022 in Arlington, Texas (Evan Pinkus\New York Giants )
Nick Gates (65)
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) before a football game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday October 30, 2022 in Seattle, Washington (Evan Pinkus/NY Giants)
Gates, an offensive lineman who turned 27 yesterday, has played in the Giants' last four games, a remarkable comeback for a player who wondered if he would ever suit up again.
Each year, the Ed Block Courage Awards honor NFL players who exemplify commitments to the principles of sportsmanship and courage. The award is unique in that the recipients are selected solely by a vote of their teammates. Every fall, all 32 teams conduct a vote which results in each team selecting their Ed Block Courage Award recipient.
The Ed Block Courage Award recipient symbolizes professionalism, great strength and dedication. He is also a community role model. With this honor, Gates enters into an association by becoming a major component of the Courage House National Support Network for Kids. He becomes an Ambassador of Courage for victims of abuse, violence and neglect.
The Courage Award has become one of the most esteemed honors bestowed upon a player in the NFL, especially since the recipient is selected by his peers.
The Giants' 2021 honoree was running back Saquon Barkley, who totaled 856 scrimmage yards after missing almost the entire 2020 season with a knee injury.
Fittingly, Gates' first snap this season was as an extra blocker on Barkley's one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter at Seattle on Oct. 30.
"I always appreciate stepping on the field now coming back from injury because I never had an injury like that, or I've never had a big injury before in the game," Gates said. "Every chance I get to step on the football field in practice, games, I appreciate every single moment and try to just enjoy it. I had that first game where I kind of took it all in and I'm like, 'Oh, I'm back,' but now it's on to the next thing. My leg feels good, doesn't hurt, so just onto the next game basically."
Gates has experienced the full range of emotions of an NFL player. He joined the Giants as a rookie free agent in 2018, injured his foot in the preseason and spent the entire season on injured reserve. Gates debuted the following year when he played 16 games with three starts. In 2020, he was a lineup mainstay, starting all 16 games at center. He was one of just five Giants to start every game.
In 2021, Gates was selected one of the Giants' seven captains and started the season opener at center. He moved to left guard in Week 2 after Shane Lemieux was sidelined with a knee injury. Late in the first quarter at Washington, Gates' lower left leg got caught under some players and snapped. The game broadcast did not show replays of the injury, which was called everything from "gruesome" to "devastating." More specifically, Gates fractured both his fibula and tibia, and subsequently underwent seven surgeries to repair the damage and heal infections.
Gates tirelessly rehabilitated to return to the field, not knowing whether the leg would improve enough for him to play or if Daboll and his coaching staff would find a spot for him. He spent training camp and began the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list but returned to practice on Oct. 5 after passing his physical.
On Oct. 26 – deadline day to either add him to the roster or keep him on PUP for the remainder of the season - Gates was activated. The Giants had lost linemen Evan Neal and Ben Bredeson to injury in a victory in Jacksonville three days earlier.
Gates played five snaps on offense and three on special teams in his return to game action in Seattle. After the Giants' bye week, those numbers increased to 13 snaps on offense and four on special teams in a victory vs. Houston. The following week against Detroit, the snap totals were 25 and two.
Perhaps more significantly for Gates, center Jon Feliciano suffered a neck injury against the Lions, just four days prior to the Giants' Thanksgiving Day game in Dallas. Gates made his 22nd career start and 18th at center and played all 65 offensive snaps in the Giants' 28-20 loss.
"It was good," Gates said of the heavy workload. "You get tired over the course of the game. I felt it a little bit. I felt like my stamina was pretty good. I played pretty steady through the game, and I played hard.
"I felt like what they had done for me and worked me into certain situations helped me out. I wasn't thrown right in there at the beginning. I'm happy with the way I progressed. They did it the right way with me."
Gates is asked so often to reflect on his remarkable journey from injury to starter that it's impossible for him to avoid it internally.
"I think about it every once in a while," Gates said. "The big game was Seattle, and I tried to be like, 'Alright, that happened.' And I tried to not put it behind me but move on. Now just play football. (I think) like, 'You got back; you hit your goal. Now, get another.' My leg hasn't bothered me since. That's been nice, too – not having to worry about that. I got reps on it, and I know it's fine.
"There's only been a couple of days (when he's thought about the leg). Like when it's raining, I know it's going to rain. Or it's super cold, then it aches a little bit. But that's normal. It's from having the rod inside there."
Once again, the New York Giants are bringing back their classic blue uniforms from the '80s and '90s this Sunday as part of two Legacy Games presented by Quest.
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QB Daniel Jones (8)
QB Daniel Jones (8)
QB Daniel Jones (8)
