It was a victory that had everyone talking — but it wasn’t just the Detroit Lions’ 34‑27 overtime win over the New York Giants that had fans buzzing. Malik Nabers, who was sidelined with an injury, ignited a firestorm on social media after the game with a now-deleted post blasting the Giants’ coaching staff for what he called “trying to lose on purpose”. The controversy erupted after a series of head-scratching fourth-down decisions by New York’s coaches, and it quickly became the talk of the NFL world.
The Lions’ dramatic comeback was spearheaded by Jahmyr Gibbs, who sealed the game with a stunning 69-yard walk-off touchdown run in overtime. But while Detroit fans celebrated the victory, Nabers’ explosive comments on X (formerly Twitter) quickly overshadowed the win.
Nabers didn’t hold back, accusing the Giants’ coaching staff of making baffling decisions — most notably, their decision to go for it on fourth down in critical situations — which led to missed opportunities for New York. His tweet read, “How can you keep calling plays like that when you’re up in a game like this? Looks like they were trying to lose on purpose.” The post quickly went viral before being deleted hours later, but the damage was already done.
The social media outburst ignited a league-wide storm. Players, coaches, and fans weighed in, with some agreeing that the Giants’ coaching staff had made questionable calls. But many others, including New York’s head coach and some players, denied Nabers’ accusations, insisting the decisions were tactical and aimed at giving the team a chance to win. The Giants’ camp defended their strategy, stating, “Sometimes you have to take risks to win games, and we thought those were the right calls at the time.”
Despite the controversy, the Lions walked away with a hard-fought win. Jared Goff and Jahmyr Gibbs were the heroes of the day, but the drama surrounding Nabers’ post is likely to linger. Whether the deleted tweet was an emotional reaction from an injured player or a reflection of growing tensions between the teams, it’s clear this situation has stirred up some serious conversations in the NFL.
As for Nabers, the social media post may have been deleted, but the storm it caused will likely follow him — and the Giants — for some time. With both teams still vying for playoff positioning, this controversy might only add fuel to an already heated rivalry.
Malik Nabers BLASTS Giants’ Coaches After Lions’ OT Thriller: ‘Trying to Lose on Purpose’
