Giants

Former Giants S Kenny Phillips Retires From NFL

July 6, 2016

Former Giants S Kenny Phillips admitted that his NFL career is likely over, due to the injuries he’s sustained over the course of his time in the NFL.

“It was a blessing. It was a blessing to be drafted in the first round. It was a blessing to win a Super Bowl and end up in New York. The fan base up there is crazy. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed every season of it,” Phillips said, via 247Sports.com. “Unfortunately injuries are a part of the game. It took a toll. I’d love to still be playing right now, but physically I can’t so I just keep my mind off of it and do the next best thing, which is be around it as much as I can. Not even coaching, I just enjoy being around it.”

Phillips admitted he has “enough aches and pains where I know I can’t play football no more.” However, the decision to move on from his playing career wasn’t easy to come to grips with.

“It wasn’t tough to come to grips with it because physically I can’t,” Phillips said. “It wasn’t like, ‘OK you’re not good enough.’ Physically it hurts to do this and it hurts to do that. It was a like a no-brainer.

“Initially when I was with the Giants, I was there for five years and then I sat home for two years having surgery on my left knee and surgery on my right knee. In my mind I was thinking if I could just get over this hump and still play. Fortunately for me coach McGriff was with the New Orleans Saints and he gave me a call and I went up there and worked out and I got a chance to get back into it for a year. I started three or four games there before the injuries started again. I’m good. I sat home and I proved I could get back into it and I did. I’m good with it.”

Phillips, 29, is a former first-round pick of the Giants back in 2008. He spent five years in New York, but wound up sitting out the 2013 and 2014 seasons, due to injuries.

Phillips signed a future/reserve contract with the Saints last year, but was unfortunately released just a few weeks into the season.

In total, Phillips recorded 208 tackles, eight interceptions, a forced fumble and three recoveries over the course of six years in the NFL. He also helped the Giants win a Super Bowl in 2011.