The New York Giants have had three veterans retire rather than go through the rigors of another training camp (kind of).
The Giants’ training camp under second-year head coach Joe Judge is a strict one where both errors of omission and commission are punishable by running laps around the facility…and then some.
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For two recently picked up free agents, linebacker Todd Davis, 29, and offensive lineman Joe Looney, 30, the Judge way was not what they signed up for and both decided to retire.
Earlier in camp, wide receiver/tight end Kelvin Benjamin was let go after the field to comply with the team’s directive for him to report at a certain weight. Perhaps it was more telling of how difficult it is to sustain an NFL career at those ages than an indictment on Judge and his ways.
On Thursday, Judge said he harbored no ill will or resentment towards either player who packed it in this week.
Joe Judge said Giants have left the door open for recent retirees Todd Davis and Joe Looney to return if they change their minds thru the course of the season.
I’d imagine the same courtesy is not being extended to Kelvin Benjamin.
— Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) August 5, 2021
That being said, it’s unlikely we’ll see either one ever again in these parts but you never know. With the NFL now a 17-game affair any player who can still suit up will be quick to answer the phone. It’s just training camp that they can’t weather. During the season, players get called in all the time from their couches, so why not sit home and wait for the call and work out on your own?
That may not be the case with Looney or Davis, but what are the odds it isn’t? Not many teams seem three retirements in the span of one week.
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