A few days before Andrew Thomas was selected fourth overall by the New York Giants in the 2020 draft, the NFL tweeted a video of him playing the keyboard and his girlfriend Ashley-Ann Wynter belting out a soulful rendition of Beyoncé’s “Halo.”
The impressive performance from the then University of Georgia students went viral — and gave Giants fans a sneak preview of the left tackle’s versatility off the field.
“It blew up. I was really surprised how many people saw it,” Thomas, 23, told The Post. “I was just nervous to play the keyboard. She’s a more talented person,” he said of Wynter, also 23, an aspiring singer-songwriter.
Fast-forward to his third year in the NFL: The Giants are an improbable 7-2 and, until last week, Thomas was the NFL’s top-rated offensive lineman, according to Pro Football Focus. (He’s now No. 2 on the list.)
Andrew Thomas plays the piano while his singer songwriter girlfriend Ashley-Ann Wynter sings. Brian Zak/NY PostAnd the couple is still singing together — only the music is even sweeter these days.
“I’m a little more tired, but the morale is definitely better when I come home,” said the Lithonia, Georgia, native.
At their New Jersey townhouse, they croon R&B and gospel tunes, and he tosses her TikTok singing challenges. Time permitting, Thomas accompanies Wynter on his keyboard, which is next to a drum set and a Ms. Pac-Man machine, customized with his Giants number and the Georgia logo — a gift from quarterback Daniel Jones to his offensive line.
Giants lineman Andrew Thomas cuts an imposing figure on the gridiron. Getty Images“It’s therapy. It’s my time to relax and focus on something other than football, which is a huge part of my life,” Thomas said of playing the piano. “[It’s] some time away and doing something that’s not so harshly judged. [Ashley-Ann] loves it, and my family does, too. The more songs I can play, the more we can sing together.”
Thomas and Wynter, who has a biology degree from Georgia, both come from musical families. They met as kids in church.
At Pace Academy in Georgia, Andrew Thomas played in the band when he wasn’t on the football field. Courtesy of Andrew Thomas“One of my best friends is his cousin, and she brought me to church one weekend. Drew fell in love with me,” said Wynter, adding that they didn’t date until college, where he was a big football star.
“Then she fell in love with me,” Thomas quipped.
A young Andrew Thomas plays the drums. Courtesy of Andrew ThomasWynter learned to sing from her grandfather, a song leader in church, and Thomas, a talented percussionist, played the drums in his school bands.
“Music was my first love. I remember growing up and being in day care, ‘Drumline’ was my favorite movie. It was PG-13, so I used to have to ask my mom for permission to watch it,” he said.
When he got to college, he had to give up band for football, but still needed to scratch his instrumental itch. So, he taught himself the piano with YouTube videos. He has yet to take lessons.
“I can sometimes play songs by ear, but I want to get formal training,” said Thomas. He and Wynter recently learned Beyoncé’s “Sandcastles.”
The soulful number is a departure from the tunes he blasts on game day — mostly hip-hop artists such as Lil Baby, Meek Mill and Rod Wave. Coach Brian Daboll is a huge Biggie fan. “He’s always playing him in the locker room and on the field,” Thomas said.
His fellow G-men are more aware of his blocking skills than his ability to tickle the ivories.
“Some of my teammates know I played drums growing up, so in meetings, sometimes, I am [keeping time] with pens, but other than that and the video, nobody really knows much,” he said.
Giants Offensive Lineman, Andrew Thomas with his girlfriend Ashley-Ann Wynter and their dog Apollo. Brian Zak/NY PostIn fact, most days, their audience solely consists of their American Akita, Apollo.
However, the Tao Group — which just opened piano bar Silver Lining Lounge at Marriott’s Moxy hotel on the Lower East Side — has extended an open invitation for the couple to perform in the off-season. Thomas is “still processing” the offer.
“This is more of a hobby for me,” he said. “But she’s talented enough to be writing and singing professionally.”
Wynter doesn’t disagree. She said: “I wouldn’t mind being a superstar.”
