Giants respond to Josh Brown situation as Ben McAdoo says team won't 'turn our back' on kicker

LONDON -- New York Giants coach Ben McAdoo isn't going to abandon Josh Brown, even after leaving the kicker home as his team prepares for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams in London.

"We're not going to turn our back on Josh," McAdoo said as he was being peppered with questions two days after documents revealed Brown admitted he had abused his wife. "He's our teammate."

Several Giants players, including star quarterback Eli Manning, also spoke about Brown's situation and the impact it has had on the team's mindset ahead of Sunday's game in Twickenham Stadium.

"[I'm] not aware of what ownership said or any of the announcements," Manning said Friday. "My focus this week has been getting ready for the Rams. Obviously, I don't know what went on behind the scenes. All I can do is support my teammates and support the organization."

Offensive lineman Justin Pugh tweeted that he "was misinformed and unknowingly speaking with limited information" earlier this year when he supported Brown, saying also that he does not "condone domestic violence of any kind."

Linebacker Jonathan Casillas echoed Manning's sentiments, saying that many players still are not aware of all the details but also acknowledging that "it is not too good for anyone that is involved in it."

"It is tough," Casillas said. "What was said and what was done is not what we represent as Giants. It is a tough situation for him."

McAdoo said he went to each position room Thursday to inform players that Brown would not make the trip to London. The Giants left Thursday evening, and former Bears kicker Robbie Gould has signed a one-year deal and will join the team Saturday in London.

The team said it will "revisit" the issue when it returns and is on its bye week. The NFL also announced it would review the documents that included Brown's admissions of domestic violence. Both the league and team have indicated there is new information in the case file from Brown's 2015 arrest in Washington.

"[Brown] admitted to us he'd abused his wife in the past," Giants co-owner John Mara said Thursday during a radio interview with New York station WFAN. "What's a little unclear is the extent of that."

McAdoo wouldn't say whether he knew this during the summer, when he expressed his support for Brown as a man, father and player. Instead, the Giants coach constantly repeated a version of this line as he was being questioned Friday.

"We're looking to get as much information as we can to make an informed decision," McAdoo said.

McAdoo did add, when pressed on several subjects, that "everything's concerning."

Manning participated in the "No More" campaign in 2014, when multiple NFL players and Hollywood celebrities spoke out against domestic violence in commercials, public service announcements and on social media.

When asked whether the latest news about Brown is a distraction to himself or his teammates, Manning once again emphasized that he is concentrating on the Rams.

"There's going to be distractions every week," he said. "Something is going on -- you don't like when a teammate can't make a game. But, hey, we've got to do our job and that's getting ready to play this football game."