Kelvin Benjamin didn’t intend to try to work his way back to the NFL originally. In the aftermath of a brief stint with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018, Benjamin retreated to Florida, content to move on with his life.
Then earlier this year, he received a phone call from Giants general manager Dave Gettleman. And so started one of the stranger — and shorter — stints for a player in recent memory.
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It started with a rookie minicamp tryout in May — strange for a 30-year-old former 1,000-yard wide receiver — where Benjamin lined up at tight end, a new position for him. A few days later, the Giants signed him to a contract, giving him a chance to compete for a roster spot and come back into the NFL. Wednesday, on the first day of training camp, Benjamin got into a heated discussion with coach Joe Judge, was released and later ripped Judge in an interview with NJ Advance Media, accusing Judge of “trying to sabotage” him.
He also said Judge doesn’t have what it takes to ever lead the Giants to a championship.
Ultimately, though, Benjamin felt like Gettleman had his back … at least until the end.
“Me and Gettleman always kept in touch,” Benjamin said. “We talked on the phone one day and he asked are you ready to come back? I know you can do this. Gettleman knows exactly what I can do. He watched me for the years I was at Carolina. Every year I had to go out there and work. To be a No. 1 receiver, you gotta go work every day and you gotta be consistent.”
Gettleman drafted Benjamin in the first round out of Florida State in 2014, and it looked like a smart draft pick at first. Benjamin accumulated 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie. He tore his ACL and missed the 2015 season, but was still solid in 2016 when he managed 941 yards and seven touchdowns.
The following year, after Gettleman was fired, the Panthers traded Benjamin to the Buffalo Bills and his career quickly fizzled out.
It won’t be restarting with the Giants — or anyone else for that matter, as Benjamin said he’s done with the NFL and plans to return back to Florida and “relax” and “just get back to living to living life.”
“That’s the biggest reason why I walked away from football in the first place,” he said.
After Benjamin’s heated argument with Judge on the field before Wednesday’s practice — Gettleman was there too — the Giants general manager trailed Benjamin as he walked off the field for the last time in a Giants uniform.
What did Gettleman say to Benjamin?
“Dave was the one that got me here and Dave knew exactly what went down,” Benjamin said. “I’m a team guy. I’ve been on a winning team before. I get the politics in the league and stuff. I don’t want to put it out there (what Gettleman said). But you now how organizations are: They take care of each other.”
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Zack Rosenblatt may be reached at zrosenblatt@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
