/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/40605216/20131104_bsd_sd2_932.0.jpg)
Osi Umenyiora talked ... and talked ... and talked some more during his conference Wednesday with New York media. The former New York Giants defensive end is, of course, now a member of Sunday's Giants foe at MetLife Stadium, the Atlanta Falcons.
Yours truly was not listening in on the call, but without saying it Umenyiora appeared to give reporters on the call the impression he wishes he was still with the Giants. Witness these tweets:
Osi was asked a lot of questions and gave a lot of answers on his conf call. Most telling: his non-answer if he wishes he was still a Giant.
— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) October 1, 2014
A long conference call with Osi, the most telling part of which was when he said "I really can't answer that question."
— Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) October 1, 2014
That answer was in response to the question: Do you wish you were still a Giant?
— Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) October 1, 2014
Umenyiora, of course, had an often contentious 10 seasons with the Giants. He signed with the Falcons last season and is now used primarily as a designated pass rusher. Umenyiora does not have a sack in the Falcons four games.
"When you don't stop the run, it limits your opportunities to rush the passer," said Atlanta coach Mike Smith. "Osi is playing a role as a pass rusher in our defense this season. We haven't given him enough at bats to really have an opportunity to affect the game."
Umenyiora bristled during his Giants' tenure at the possibility of being used as a pass rush specialist, which as Smith indicated is now his role in Atlanta. Does Umenyiora like the role?
"I am just going to leave that one alone and move on to the next question," he said.
Umenyiora said he has "zero regrets" about his time with the Giants.
"I disliked some of the things that I did, but I was young and as you get older, you see some of those things and say, 'man, why did I do that, that makes absolutely no sense.' " Umenyiora said. "I have absolutely zero regrets. I left New York in a great relationship with everybody, from the owners to the general manager to the coaches to the players. I still have a really great relationship with everybody there. It is no regrets."