New York Giants outside linebacker Brian Burns goes by the alias of Spider-Man, a popular Marvel Comics character who patrols the streets of New York to stop criminals from doing their job.

But Burns does a different kind of patrol for the Giants, making sure opposing quarterbacks don’t do their own thing against the Big Blue.

Although his sack total (4.0) may seem insignificant compared to the expectations that came with the five-year, $141 million contract he signed after the Giants acquired him in a trade from the Carolina Panthers, a closer look at the numbers shows that Burns is indeed in good shape. is seen. The thing against opposing quarterbacks.

According to NFL NextGen Stats, Burns has a 14.6% quarterback pressure percentage on 197 pass rushes.

Burns’ 31 quarterback pressures this season rank seventh-most in the NFL, according to TruMedia. Burns is also the only player in the league this season with more than 4.0 sacks and more than six passes defensed.

Not bad for a man who continues to fight his toughest opponent yet: his body. Burns had been bothered by groin pain since week 3; After last week’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, he was seen walking out of the Giants’ locker room with a very heavy limp reminiscent of Hall of Fame Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker “Mean Joe” Greene. Performed with a limp in a 1979 Coca-Cola commercial.

Burns, who handled practice reps while his injury remained an issue, had a great roster of teachers during his time in Carolina when it came to being tough and not giving in to aches and pains; Some of these are truly challenging. This is a challenge that comes with the game of football.

Those he cites as role models for toughness he now tries to emulate include former linebacker Luke Kuechly, running back Christian McCaffrey and outside linebacker Shaq Thompson.

“Yeah, I had a lot of guys to look up to,” Burns said with a smile.

Asked how he felt physically, Burns measured his words carefully and did his best to downplay the nagging discomfort he had been trying to manage through treatment for several weeks.

When asked how he was able to stay on the field despite a painful injury, he shrugged and said: “Life will go on living.”

So does this mean his health is getting better?

“Yes, I guess,” he said. “I’m still trying to make sure everything is OK for (Monday), but yeah, I’m feeling better.”