The Giants play on Thanksgiving, but that does not mean they have to forgo the holiday. There will be plenty to eat the next night, at Justin Pugh’s apartment in Jersey City.
“We got like 65 pounds of turkey,’’ Pugh said Tuesday, reciting the menu his private chef is set to prepare. “We got a couple hams. [D.J.] Fluker wanted a fried turkey, so we have a fried turkey. John Jerry is requesting a turducken. It should be good.’’
Pugh also mentioned cornbread stuffing and appetizers.
“All sort of appetizers,’’ he said.
This is Pugh’s party. He knew his teammates, playing the night before, would not be home or with family for the holiday and he wanted to get the gang together. He invited the entire offensive line, and their girlfriends, to his apartment, along with his best friends from his hometown outside of Philadelphia, a gathering of about 35-40 people. He calls it “Friends-giving’’ and he is anticipating no one will leave hungry.
“A lot of guys are from all over the place so my whole thing is to try to give guys a place to go,’’ Pugh said. “We’re still family here.’’
Also on the guest list are neighbors who do not have anywhere to go on Thanksgiving. Pugh recently put out a heartwarming video chronicling his unlikely relationship with an older man from the neighborhood named Bill, who wrote a note asking Pugh for help paying his rent. A friendship blossomed and Bill will be at Pugh’s Friends-giving fete.
Pugh puts plywood over his pool table, providing plenty of surface-area to display all the food to be served. He said his chef knows to count each offensive lineman as 1.5 people when it comes to determining how much food is needed.
“He knows how I eat, so he’s able to scale it out,’’ Pugh said.
Most of Pugh’s childhood buddies are Eagles fans but he is not concerned about any fireworks. “We’re not mixing state and church,’’ he said.
Pugh is sidelined with a back injury that forced him to miss the 12-9 victory over the Chiefs and will keep him out of Thursday night’s game with the Redskins.
“I’m not gonna try to rush back, make sure we do right by it so I don’t keep hurting the team, hurting myself and screwing everybody involved,’’ said Pugh, who has his sights on returning for the Dec. 3 game at Oakland.
After the second game of the season, the offensive linemen got together and determined they needed to get closer off the field, and Wednesday night dinners became a weekly staple. The linemen stay late, and take turns purchasing food brought into the team facility. “We talk about things other than football,’’ Pugh said.
That tradition continues with his Friday night, high-calorie soiree.
“Weigh-ins are [Wednesday],’’ Pugh said, “so they’re safe.’’
