The New York Giants’ 2025 draft class has something for everyone. It’s a group with immense talent and promise both on and off the field.
Such is the case of Thomas Fidone, a once highly-rated tight end prospect who had his college career derailed early on by injuries. The Giants took a flyer on the Nebraska product in the seventh round.
Fidone entered his college journey ranked at the top of the tight end class, ahead of Brock Bowers. Then injuries to the same knee in back-to-back seasons almost ruined his dream. He wasn’t about to allow that to happen.
“It was definitely difficult, but I’ve always said this from college, and I wouldn’t take them back,” Fidone told reporters on Saturday. “I think that they’ve made me who I am mentally and physically, and it made me train harder in terms of just physically and being able to get back better than I was before. So that’s always the kind of goal that I had when it came from getting back from the injuries.”
Fidone has been patient with his football career but is now where he is supposed to be. During COVID, he learned the art of tattooing and has been using his own body as a canvas.
“It was hard just because it hurts doing it to yourself,” he said. “You can’t really tell the artist no, but when you’re doing it, you have control. So being able to get through it, I guess.”
Why did Giants TE Thomas Fidone tattoo his knee by himself? pic.twitter.com/W6Mdyxnwnq
Asked if there were any parallels between his tattooing and his football career, Fidone actually was able to make some.
“I mean, I don’t really, but I mean I could make some, I guess in terms of patience, and you don’t want to rush things. If you rush a tattoo, it’s not going to be what you want it to be. But if you take your time and do it well, then you’re going to get what you want out of it. So just being able to have patience and take your time and let it fall into place,” he said.
The Giants may have stumbled into something with the 6-foot-5, 243-pound Fidone. He was once the nation’s top tight end. Maybe all of this patience will pay off and he’ll get back to that level.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants’ Thomas Fidone leaned into odd hobby to get him through college injuries
Reporting by John Fennelly, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
