Joe Judge responds to harsh criticism from Kelvin Benjamin

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New York Giants coach Joe Judge reacted to a barrage of criticism from Kelvin Benjamin on Thursday by saying “I wish him good luck.”

“I’m not going to get into a specific situation with a player,” Jude said. “I wish him good luck.”

Benjamin left the field at the start of practice on Wednesday after a heated discussion with judge and general manager Dave Gettleman. He was released by the Giants later that day.

In a subsequent interview with Zack Rosenblatt of NJ Advance Media, Benjamin gutted Judge and the Giants. He called his time with the Giants a hoax, said the team were trying to sabotage their comeback attempt and lambasted Judge saying he was one-sided about everything. He’s a know-it-all.

Benjamin had signed with the Giants after a try at the rookie minicamp. A first-round pick in 2014 by Gettleman with the Carolina Panthers, the 30-year-old was looking for a comeback after being out of the league since 2018. He went from wide receiver to tight end.

Dave was the one who brought me here and Dave knew exactly what had happened. I am a team guy. I was once part of a winning team. I get politics in the league and all that. But the thing with me is, don’t sit there and try to bash my game and let the story run wild. Just tell the truth. Be honest.

Benjamin told Rosenblatt that the problem on the pitch resulted from a dispute over Benjamin’s weight. According to Rosenblatt, the Giants wanted Benjamin to show up to training camp at 251 pounds, 14 less than he admitted to weighing in at the end of the minicamp. Instead, he weighed this week at 268 pounds.

According to Benjamin, the problems started on Wednesday when the judge pulled him aside to tell him the team was going to fine him for his 17-pound overweight.

He didn’t even speak to me [Tuesday], says Benjamin. The day before training, he did not mention all of this. I just felt like the guy didn’t like me. Mr. Gettleman knew exactly what had happened. It’s crazy how they twist the narrative on everything like it’s a joke. They make it look like we don’t even matter. It’s the thing with humanity, man. …

I was like: What do you want me to do? Benjamin said. I like: I try everything I can to be here. You won’t even leave me on the pitch to show what I can do. I played the receiver at 268 [pounds] and I was almost 1000 meters [in 2016]. So why do you want me to go back to 251 on the tight end?

The judge refused to retaliate on Benjamin’s personal criticisms.

“We are never going to personally attack a player,” said Judge. “It’s like that.”

This is not the judges’ first clash as coach of the Giants. Offensive line coach Marc Colombo was sacked in the middle of last season after a disagreement with Judge.

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