Relaxed and smiling freely, LaVar Arrington was holding court this week when Michael Strahan rushed into the Giants locker room, searching for an iPod to take with him to a quick workout on the treadmill.
Arrington nodded subtly at Strahan, who for nearly a decade has been the centerpiece of the Giants defense.
“He’s been the pillar of this defense for so long,” Arrington acknowledged. “I’m not here to compete to be the face of the team or a defense or the leader.”
Arrington was all those things in Washington, where he made three Pro Bowls with the Redskins and was either credited or blamed for everything that went right or wrong. Feeling he has a new lease on his professional life, Arrington sees a plethora of star power on his new team and says he wants nothing more than to blend in.
“The dynamic is awesome,” Arrington said. “I don’t want the pressure of the world on me to win. I don’t want it to be ‘Well, LaVar isn’t this, LaVar is overrated,’ because the team doesn’t win. I don’t need that type of pressure on me, I don’t ask for it. I just want to play and be the best possible teammate I can be. I’m not here to say, ‘Look at me and not somebody else.’ ”
Strahan, at age 34, remains a Pro Bowl performer on the field and a strong presence off it. On a lazy day when Arrington had no problem talking to the media for nearly 30 minutes, Strahan tossed around a few jokes and then explained he had no time to chat.
Later in the day, though, he did speak with the team’s Web site about Arrington’s impact on the team.
“It’s huge,” Strahan said. “It’s the best pickup we’ve had since . . . man, that’s a huge pickup for us. I’ve always loved the way LaVar played. I’m sure he is going to be very motivated to play like he’s never played before. And if he does that, he’s the best linebacker in the league.”
On defense, everything with the Redskins revolved around Arrington, even when a future first-ballot Hall of Famer like Bruce Smith closed out his career in Washington.
“I’ve already had the opportunity to play with one of the best ever in Bruce Smith,” Arrington said. “I’ve had my most productive seasons playing with him and he was getting a little up there. I think Mike has a little more in the tank did than Bruce did. I’m gonna learn from him and that’s going to be an awesome experience.”