EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Golden Tate was not at practice Wednesday after visibly showing frustration with his role during Monday night's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Coach Joe Judge wouldn't specify if it was a disciplinary issue, but did say the veteran receiver would be back with the team Thursday.
"I spoke with Golden at length today," Judge said. "We're dealing internally with a lot of things. ... He will be back in the building and practicing with us the remainder of the week. It will be business as usual. We're going to deal with this internally. That's all I'm going to really say about that."
Tate yelled "Throw me the ball!" at the camera after each of his two receptions Monday night, including after his leaping 19-yard touchdown grab that gave the Giants a chance to tie the score in the final minute. It was just his second catch and third target in the game. His wife, Elise, later posted a since-deleted Instagram story that decried his lack of opportunities this season.
Tate was visibly frustrated with his role against the Bucs. He was on the field for 54% of the team's offensive snaps and saw just three targets. He finished with the two catches for 31 yards and a touchdown and could be seen on multiple occasions with his arms flailing when he was open and the pass was not thrown in his direction.
Judge said he didn't see the histrionics, but spoke about how he handles these types of situations.
"First off, it has to be team-first for everyone in this building," Judge said Wednesday. "Every coach and every player. It has to be team-first. There are no exceptions for that.
"I'm not going to tolerate any kind of selfish behavior from anybody, a coach or a player. It's not going to happen."
Tate has just 22 catches on 29 targets for 226 yards and two touchdowns in seven games.
It still has been an eventful year. He missed the opener with a hamstring injury, fought Jalen Ramsey (the father of his nieces) at midfield following a game against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 4, and has seen his role shrink considerably in recent weeks since the return of Sterling Shepard from injured reserve.
The Giants were open to moving Tate at the trade deadline, multiple sources told ESPN. But they were unable to do so considering his age, salary and decreasing production.
Tate, 32, signed a four-year, $37 million deal with the Giants last offseason. He is due almost $4.5 million for the remainder of this year, $8.5 million next season and $6 million in 2022.
Tate's signing was a move that opened some eyes, especially after he was suspended the first four games of last season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. The veteran receiver was supposed to help fill the void created when the Giants traded Odell Beckham Jr., in part, in an effort to improve team culture and locker room.
Tate's absence came on a day when the Giants added to their wide receiving corps by claiming Dante Pettis off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers. Pettis was a second-round pick out of Washington in 2018, but fell out of favor in San Francisco. He hasn't caught a pass this season.