Old Tappan's Sam Bilali wins special NY Giants award, Super Bowl tickets
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EAST RUTHERFORD — Sam Bilali could get used to this new shade of blue. He may even decide to wear it to Santa Clara, Calif. in February.
The junior at Northern Valley/Old Tappan is the 2025 USA Football “Heart of a Giant” Award winner, as he learned with a surprise visit to the Giants’ locker room in MetLife Stadium on Dec. 12. As part of the ceremony, Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence presented him with two Super Bowl LX tickets and a personalized No. 30 Big Blue jersey.
Bilali and several of his varsity teammates – including twin brother John – got an early Friday dismissal from school. But while Sam was getting an extended tour of the stadium Coaches Club, John and friends lined up to welcome him into the locker room, along with Old Tappan coach Brian Dunn. And Lawrence. And a host of special guests and cameras.
“When I got pulled out of class early, I remember just being anxious because I wasn’t really told much,” Sam said. “I didn’t know what to expect.”
When he walked through the door that Giants players use weekly, accompanied by his father Dardan, his face showed a look of wonderment that remained throughout the event.
“It’s been amazing,” Bilali said after collecting his Heart of a Giant trophy.
At Old Tappan games and practices, the receiver/defensive back can be spotted in his navy blue and gold No. 30. But after donning Giants blue, he and several of the Golden Knights celebrated with their own version of Lawrence’s sack dance, with Dexter leading.
The Giants and the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) present the yearly award to players in the tri-state area for “their unparalleled work ethic and passion for the game of football.” HSS orthopedic surgeon Dr. Sam Taylor also presented a $10,000 equipment-grant check for the Golden Knights’ football program.
“You’ve got a great name,” Dr. Taylor said with a smile as he shook Sam’s hand. “Your brother told me that you’re the first to celebrate everybody else’s success. … We’re all here today to celebrate your success.”
Bilali is the second North Jersey student-athlete in five years to receive the award, joining 2020 winner Yosue Gomez of Passaic Tech.
Bilali’s battle to overcome cerebral palsy, which resulted from a stroke as a newborn, has been documented on NorthJersey.com. Lawrence was inspired upon hearing Sam’s story before presenting the award.
“Everything about his story is beautiful,” the 6-foot-4, 240-pound lineman said as he stood next to the 135-pound Bilali. “This man is remarkable, and I’m going to do my best to get my first full sack for him this weekend.”
Yes, the locker room visit was Part One of the story. Bilali and the other 10 finalists will be honored on the field at halftime of the Dec. 14 Giants vs. Commanders game.
His mother, Jacqueline, was the only one unable to make the ceremony but congratulated Sam via FaceTime after the presentation.
There is a challenge that lies ahead – namely, figuring out which of his three family members he’ll take to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara for the Super Bowl.
That decision can wait. The memories from Heart of a Giant Day are still fresh.
“I’m not an emotional guy… a lot of people are big ‘tears of joy’ people, but I’m not like that,” John Bilali said after the presentation. “And when [Dr. Taylor] told us that [Sam] is going to get this award, I was very close to crying.
“I’m just so proud of him. He’s come such a long way, and there’s nothing else that I could want for him, because this is such an amazing experience.”
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Sam Bilali of Old Tappan wins NY Giants award, Super Bowl tickets
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