This has been a difficult year for the New York Giants – even by the club’s dubious standards since the end of the 2013 season.
The Giants fell to 2-11 overall this year with a loss on “Monday Night Football” to the New England Patriots on Dec. 1 by a score of 33-15. New York has lost at least 10 games in all but two seasons since the start of the 2014 campaign, and was 3-14 last year.
One constant, however, this year has been former STAB and JMU standout Aaron Stinnie, 31, a native of Charlottesville and reserve offensive lineman who has seen action off the bench in the first 13 games for the Giants.
New York quarterback Jaxson Dart was hit hard in the loss to the Pats.
“We’re not playing soccer out here. You’re going to get hit. Things happen. It’s just part of the game,” he told reporters.
Stinnie played on the offensive and defensive line for two years at STAB and played basketball at the school. His father, Phil, was a basketball standout at VCU.
The younger Stinnie, after high school, headed to Harrisonburg to play at JMU and as a redshirt senior in 2017 he started all 15 games at left tackle. He was a team captain and FCS All-American that season for the Dukes.
Stinnie made his NFL debut with Tennessee in 2018 and then split the next season with Tennessee and Tampa Bay. He started on the offensive line for Tampa Bay in the playoffs after the 2019 season, including a Super Bowl victory against the Kansas City Chiefs. Former JMU players Earl Watford and Josh Wells also saw action with Tampa Bay that season.
Stinnie was with Tampa Bay through the 2023 season, then joined the Giants.
He is one of 15 players from Charlottesville/Albemarle high schools to reach the NFL, per footballreference.com, and one of two active players.
The other player who has seen action in the NFL this season is Jonas Sanker, a former Covenant School and University of Virginia product.
Sanker, a safety, had 36 tackles and one interception through Dec. 1 for the New Orleans Saints, who are also struggling at 2-10.
Sanker was drafted out of Virginia in the third round earlier this year.
STAB, Albemarle lead the way
STAB and Albemarle High have both sent three players to the NFL.
Former STAB standout Kyle Long was an offensive tackle for the Chicago Bears from 2013-2019. His brother, Chris, was a defensive end from 2008-2018 with St. Louis, New England and Philadelphia after he was taken as the second overall pick in the NFL draft out of Virginia in 2008.
Kyle also played in the Rockingham County Baseball League (RCBL) with the Elkton Blue Sox.
They are the sons of Pro Football Hall of Famer Howie Long.
They join Stinnie as NFL products from STAB.
The three Albemarle High grads to reach the highest level were Walter White, a tight end for Kansas City from 1975-1979; kicker Nick Novak, who played for several teams from 2005-2017; and Brandon Johnson, a wideout for the Miami Dolphis in 2008. Novak played in college at Maryland; Johnson starred at Massachusetts, and White played at Maryland and Colorado Mesa.
Hall of Famer Brown
Rosevelt Brown was born in Charlottesville on Oct. 20, 1932, and starred at Jefferson High before heading to Morgan State in Baltimore. The tackle was drafted in the 27th round as the 322nd overall player taken in 1953, by the Giants – but he still fashioned a Hall of Fame career.
Brown played in 162 games with 159 starts from 1953 through 1965 and he was named an All-Pro player nine times. He went into the Hall of Fame in 1975.
Brown died in New Jersey in 2004 at the age of 71.
Western Albemarle, Charlottesville
The two NFL players from Western Albemarle were Luke Tenuta (Virginia Tech), an offensive lineman with the Green Bay Packers in 2022; and tight end Billy Baber (Virginia), who played with Kansas City and Tampa Bay from 2001-2004.
Lloyd Burrruss and Eric Wilson both played at Charlottesville High. Burruss was a defensive back for Kansas City from 1981-1991, while Wilson was a linebacker for the Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins from 1985-1987. Both played in college at Maryland.
Notes
- These other local schools produced one NFL player: The Miller School (Michael Durrette, guard, San Francisco, 1986-1987); Monticello (Mike Brown, wideout, Jacksonville Jaguars, 2012-2014); and Lane (Jim Copeland, offensive line, Cleveland Browns, 1967-1974). Durrette played in college at Ferrum and West Virginia, per footballreference.com, Brown starred at Liberty, and Copeland played for the Cavaliers of Virginia.
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David Driver
