Kenny Golladay is making an average of $18million per season as part of the four-year, $72m deal he signed with the New York Giants prior to 2021 – and he wants his playing time to reflect it.
Under those terms, the Giants paid him roughly $500,000 for each of the two snaps he played in Sunday’s 19-16 win over the Carolina Panthers.
The Giants' previous ownership paid Golladay like a true number one wide receiver, but he barely saw the field this past week after playing 42 snaps (77 per cent) in Week 1.
Against the Panthers, after head coach Brian Daboll made it clear he plans on rotating his wide receivers based on week-to-week matchups and game-planning, it was David Sills V – who is on a one-year contract, with two career catches and is making $825,000 this season – who assumed Golladay's Week 1 role,
"I don’t agree with it," he said Wednesday, via video from SNY. "I came here to play. I didn’t like the decision whatsoever."
Golladay said the decision to keep him on the sidelines was particularly perplexing because all the feedback he has been getting from ownership and coaches is that he has a good work ethic, and additionally there hasn’t been any friction between himself and Daboll.
The Giants, who are 2-0 for the first time since 2016, host the Cowboys on Monday night, though it’s uncertain what kind of role will be given to the wide receiver with the highest salary cap hit in the league this season.
"I’m preparing like I’m going to be playing, but who knows," he said. "The GM, head coach, all these coaches keep saying, 'you do everything right; you handle yourself the right way'. It’s a little confusing."
In his first year with the Giants, Golladay led the team with 521 receiving yards on 37 receptions. This year he is tied for fifth on the Giants with two receptions going for 22 yards.
Richie James, who signed a one-year, $1.065million deal over the offseason, leads New York with 10 catches for 110 yards.
"I should be playing regardless," Golladay said. "That’s a fact."