Victor Cruz Comments on Miami Boat Trip with Odell Beckham Jr., Giants WRs

If Victor Cruz could do it all over again, he and his New York Giants teammates may not have traveled to Miami after the team's Week 17 victory over the Washington Redskins.

Cruz discussed his regret over the trip in an episode of Timeout with Taylor Rooks (via the New York Daily News' Bernie Augustine): "Looking back on it, it definitely wasn't worth it. At the end of the day, you want to put your mind in a place where you want to succeed at whatever your next task is, especially in a football setting and a football atmosphere."

Giants Wire's Justin Witmondt shared a photo of Cruz and other Giants wide receivers as they posed on a boat in Miami:

Many criticized the timing of the players' brief retreat. New York was set to face off with the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wild Card Round a week later.

Had the Giants won, the boat trip would've been less of a storyline. However, New York lost 38-13. Cruz caught three passes for 30 yards, while Odell Beckham Jr. had four receptions for 28 yards. Beckham took his frustrations out on a wall outside the team's locker room at Lambeau Field, per Bleacher Report's Jason Cole:

It's doubtful the party had much impact on Beckham's and Cruz's performances since the players had plenty of time to refocus for the playoff game. On the other hand, perception can blur reality sometimes, which made some conclude the Miami trip directly affected the Giants wideouts.

Troy Aikman argued the same point following Tony Romo's trip to Mexico prior to the Dallas Cowboys' NFC Divisional Round loss to the Giants in January 2008.

Cruz and his teammates learned the lesson the hard way.