Brian Burns was caught off guard mid-interview last week while being honored for his work in the community at the 33rd annual Gridiron Gala. The Pro Bowl outside linebacker couldn't believe the information he'd been given about his standing on the New York Giants.
"Brian, feel a little different you're the only returning captain on the defense?" a reporter asked. "You're the longest-tenured starter on this defense."
Burns' face said it all. He turned sharply to the reporter in utter surprise. His brows raised and his eyes darted to the sky as he contemplated the unexpected statement.
After a few seconds, reality sunk in. It's true. After Dexter Lawrence II was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals last month, Burns is now the Giants' longest-tenured defensive starter.
Mind you, he is only entering his third season with the team.
"Wow, I am!" Burns said in a voilà moment while pointing at the reporter. "That's crazy."
It's no wonder given his status on the defense and standing with his teammates that Burns was being honored last week for his work in the community and with Brian Burns Family Charities. He's also hosting a charitable celebrity softball game on May 30, where a large contingent of current Giants teammates and legends are scheduled to participate. The event is expected to attract a sizable crowd.
It poses as an opportunity to develop team camaraderie and bring the community together, according to Burns.
Such events have opened doors for Burns to showcase what drives him. He's doing it all with his nephew and autism awareness in mind.
"It's part of my purpose," he said, "because this is my family!"
STANLEY McCLOVER IS a former NFL player. He played in 14 games for the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans from 2006 to 2009.
He also is Burns' older brother. It's McClover's son, 8-year-old Champ, who was diagnosed with nonverbal autism and in turn has helped define Burns' purpose on and off the field. Together, Burns and McClover have made it their business to raise autism awareness through the Hype 4 Life Foundation, which is part of Brian Burns Family Charities.
"I'm going to be honest, man. Outside of him being my brother, this is one of the most special things a man can do for another man and his child. I support him wholeheartedly and unconditionally," McClover said.
"I'm so thankful that he took on the responsibility of getting the word out there about autism and just standing in the forefront and helping other families. ... I'm just super proud of him."
Champ was diagnosed at age 2 during Burns' second season in the NFL. Burns was a first-round pick (No. 16) by the Panthers in the 2019 NFL draft.
McClover originally said he was "in denial" over Champ's diagnosis despite seeing the warning signs. Burns didn't know any better.
It took time for the entire family to digest and understand the challenges that come with an autism diagnosis, but they've since immersed themselves in autism education.
Over the years, Burns and Champ have developed a special relationship.
"Yeah, [Champ's] got mad love for his uncle, man," McClover said. "He can tell that the love is there. And that's one thing about autism kids. Autistic kids, they can really sense your nervous system. They can sense if you're stressed out, they can sense if you've got a peace, a calm nature about you. They can sense these things.
"When he's around Brian, he's calm. And I like that. I really like that a lot. So I want to keep them around each other even more."
Among the things they've learned is that nature and animals can be used as valuable teaching tools. Burns said that Champ has an infatuation with animals and recently took the whole family to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.
They've also learned the benefits of equine therapy, using horses to provide a therapeutic approach to learning. Burns said that it was after Champ's introduction to horses that he recently said his first word.
McClover bought a horse soon after.
It's now part of Hype 4 Life Foundation's mission to help other families acquire equestrian therapy.
McClover and Burns have even made it a point to set up events where they can help other dads in similar situations. A support group, of sorts.
"It means a lot because when Champ was diagnosed, we had no idea what autism was completely. We didn't really know what was going on. He wouldn't speak. So it was just strange," Burns said.
"You always see stories and you always hear things, but when it affects your family, you obviously have to dive in deeper to figure out what's going on and what's the best ways to help your family and things of that nature. So when we realized there's really no awareness or there's a lot of parents out here that don't know how to deal with autism or don't know the things necessary for those kids, it kind of just sparks something in us, like, we should just bring awareness. "
It's only natural to Burns that autism awareness and treatment techniques has become a huge part of his career and life.
BURNS' LATEST PHILANTHROPIC endeavor is the upcoming softball game.
When Giants superfan Joe "License Plate Guy" Ruback came to Burns with the idea last year to headline the event, it was a no-brainer. Burns enjoyed himself as a participant two years ago when Lawrence was the main attraction.
Now, Burns will have his name and causes at the center of it all, particularly autism awareness.
As Burns' status on the Giants ascends, his teammates are expected to come out in full force as they look to cement a new culture under coach John Harbaugh. Dart, Cam Skattebo, Malik Nabers, Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux and first-round pick Arvell Reese are among the players on Burns' softball roster. Even if they won't all be playing, they are expected out to show support.
The legends team captained by former Giants running back Brandon Jacobs is likely to have Eli Manning, Justin Tuck, Antrel Rolle and Jessie Armstead on his roster, among others.
"Burns is the heart and soul of what we're about," Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart said last week while supporting Burns at the gala.
Rather quickly, Burns has quickly become the vocal leader in his eighth professional season, and the Giants' defense will look toward the 28-year-old to step up when needed.
"It's my defense now, that's kind of how I look at it," Burns said. "It's kind of just a nod to what I've done and the success I've had. But I don't take that lightly at all and I'm very grateful for the opportunity."
All he did last season was finish second in the NFL with 16.5 sacks, a career high. His 22 tackles for a loss were third only behind Cleveland's Myles Garrett and Las Vegas' Maxx Crosby.
Burns' success earned him his third career Pro Bowl nod -- the Giants' only one last season. It validated to the team and their fans that he was worth the hefty investment it cost (multiple draft picks and a $150 million contract) to get him to New York.
Now, more comfortable in his standing on the team and in the league, Burns intends to dig deep into his work into the community in the metropolitan area. And with Champ in mind, he's going to put his special touch on it all.
"I feel like bringing awareness to [autism] is the main thing, especially in the NFL and then hopefully nationwide, and people really need to understand what autism is and the different levels of autism because it's very different. ... It's something that really should have light on it. I think so."