Jermaine Eluemunor said Hutchinson “didn’t do a damn thing.” Reality says otherwise.
Look, I get it. Losing a game the way the Giants did, walk-off touchdown in overtime, then a game-ending sack the very next drive, that stings. And emotions run hot. But New York Giants right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor decided to direct all that frustration at the wrong guy.
Specifically: Detroit Lions star, Aidan Hutchinson.
And hey, Hutch isn’t above critique. But saying he “didn’t do a damn thing all game”?
Yeah… that take lasted about 0.67 seconds (sorry, had to do it) before the receipts absolutely buried it.
The Lead: Eluemunor talks big… right after Hutchinson ended his night
Right after the Giants fell 34–27 in overtime, Eluemunor vented to The Athletic and decided to swing at Hutch:
“He did not do a damn thing all f***ing game,” Eluemunor said.
He even doubled down:
“He strikes me as the type of guy who would try to celebrate that one play… he didn’t do anything.”
Bold strategy, considering the “one play” he’s referring to is literally the play that ended the Giants’ comeback attempt. But let’s keep going.
Here’s the problem: Hutch didn’t just make one play.
He made the most important play.
And, uh, also like… six others.
Let’s run the actual numbers:
- 6 QB hits
- 6 total pressures
- Game-winning sack in OT
- A key TFL on fourth-and-goal
- Dominant fourth quarter + OT performance
Next Gen Stats even backed it up: (H/T to Pride of Detroit for stats)
Aidan Hutchinson generated 6 pressures on 17 pass rushes (35.3%) in the fourth quarter and overtime, including the game-ending sack.
Oh, and before Eluemunor claims “he was blocking him solo all game,” the tape and the data also disagree:
- Hutch lined up over the left tackle nearly 40% of the time
- He saw chips and doubles regularly
- He wasn’t on Eluemunor’s island — he was attacking the whole damn archipelago
When the game got tight, Hutch turned into a closer
This is what separates stars from guys who just talk loud in the locker room.
Hutchinson was quiet early, sure. The Giants threw gadget plays, rollouts, misdirection, screens… everything but the kitchen sink to keep Detroit’s rush guessing.
But when the Giants had to drop back?
When the game tightened in the fourth?
When overtime hit?
That’s when Hutch turned into a one-man rescue mission.
And if you want to say “he only made one big play,” cool, just know that that play is the one that sends your team home with an L.
This feels less like analysis… and more like ‘panties in a bunch‘
Eluemunor said:
“I run him by the quarterback, and he just manages to run back upfield and get the sack.”
Buddy…
That’s literally called beating your block.
That’s the job.
It’s the defender’s job to counter. It’s your job to finish the rep. If he “ran back upfield and got the sack,” then he outplayed you. Simple as that.
Even Giants fans saw the quotes and went, “Yeah, man, maybe sit this one out.”
The Bottom Line
Aidan Hutchinson didn’t dominate from start to finish, but he absolutely dominated when it mattered. And if your final act of the afternoon is giving up the game-losing sack, maybe don’t hop on a soapbox afterward.
Hutch made the winning play.
He carried the pass rush late.
He closed the game.
Eluemunor can say whatever he wants, but the tape and the numbers both tell a simple story:
When the game was on the line, the Lions had Aidan Hutchinson… and the Giants didn’t.
Jeff Bilbrey
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