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New York Giants wide receiver Kenny Golladay injured his hamstring early in training camp and was subsequently shut down for much of the summer.
It wasn’t easy for him.
“It was really tough. I mean, I’m kind of jealous. All the guys out there having fun really, and I for sure wish I was out there the whole training camp,” Golladay told reporters on Thursday.
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But the veteran finally returned this week, taking live reps in practice for the first time in quite a while. Golladay says he feels fresh, but admits that stems from all the downtime.
“I mean, this is literally like the first day and a half I’m back out there, so it’s still fresh. I’ve still got to get my legs up under me and everything,” he said.
As good as he feels, Golladay wouldn’t commit to playing in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos even though he remains hopeful. He admits hamstrings are tricky and he’s come back too early from injuries previously and it cost him.
“I feel like each day I’m getting better. So, right now I’m just taking it day-by-day, trying to stack good days on top of each other,” Golladay said. “Hamstrings are tricky. I mean, that’s pretty much what it is. They’re tricky. You’ve got to be smart and be patient with them.
“I guess you can say I learned a little bit. I really haven’t practiced at all. So yeah, I guess you could say I learned a little bit.”
Golladay also admits that missing so much time likely hurt his rapport with quarterback Daniel Jones, which could lead to a slow start for the offense when the full unit is finally on the field.
“It’s definitely a little bump in the road, but we still have some days left. I’ve got to get just a lot of catches in,” Golladay said. “When I look in the huddle and see all those guys, it’s very exciting. But people have been in and out of the lineup, so we’re going to be a little probably slow to get off. But we’ve got some workers on this team and I feel like if we put the work in, I feel like we can be really special.”
For now, Golladay is focused on improving each day and hoping he gets the green light come Week 1. But his cautious approach and blunt honesty is not going to sound like music to the ears of Giants fans.