Giants WR Malik Nabers Responds to Backlash Over Concert Attendance

Nabers drew heat for attending a Travis Scott concert while believed to have been in the early stages of the league's concussion protocol.

Malik Nabers raises his mic in the air during Giants Fan Fest at MetLife Stadium to celebrate 100 Seasons of the New York Giants, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. / Anne-Marie Caruso/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers has finally cleared the league’s protocol after dealing for two weeks with what he described as a scary concussion–his first ever–suffered in Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys.

While it irked him to be sidelined as his teammates fought their battles, it also apparently irked him to receive criticism from the public about his decision to attend a Travis Scott concert at MetLife Stadium while he was still in the early part of the protocol. He had some very direct words to those people critiquing him.

“What I do outside this facility has nothing to do with what the media thinks or whatever they got going on, so that's my business,” he said.

Like head coach Brian Daboll, Nabers wouldn’t disclose the conversation the two had about the event. However, it was apparent from Daboll’s tone and body language that he didn’t necessarily agree with the young receiver’s decision. But Nabers, who said he had headaches and throbbing in his head during those first few days of being in the protocol, said he didn’t experience any issues with the music volume or the flickering lights.  

“They asked me if I had a problem with the lights. I told them no. Having problems with the sound, I told them no. So, (safety/inside linebacker) Isaiah (Simmons) asked me any kind of questions that I needed, if my head was going to be hurting while it was going to be loud, the lights, and I said no,” he said, clarifying that “they” referred to people on social media who learned of his presence at the concert.

“I said I've been playing loud music since after the concussion in the car. I go out with the lights on. I play the game with lights. So, I didn't have anything with lights. It wasn't making my head hurt. The sound wasn't making my head hurt, so I was fine.”

Despite Nabers’ insistence that he wasn’t affected by the loud music or the lighting, he still drew criticism for what some consider to be bad optics for a player who wasn’t well enough to risk playing but who was well enough to risk making his concussion worse by exposing himself to conditions that are usually not recommended for people recovering from concussions to be exposed to. 

Nabers, who said he had advised the Giants’ medical staff of his intention to attend the concert, added that he didn’t pay attention to what others on social media thought. 

“Yeah. I mean, most of the time, I don't, but I get it sent to my phone a lot, so it's hard not to ignore it,” he said. “But they're making me more famous than I already am, so it's cool.”

Nabers said that teammates like outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence II, and outside linebacker Brian Burns–all first-round draft picks who came into the league as high-profile players–have given him advice on handling the spotlight at this level. 

While he understands that his words and deeds will attract more attention, he’s committed to being himself.

“That's what comes with the job,” he said of the increased scrutiny he now gets. “But at the end of the day, I still have my own life. I still have my own life. So, I'm going to continue to have my own life. I'm going to continue to watch my back wherever I go, but I'm going to continue to have my personal life.”

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