Veteran safety Landon Collins signed for his second stint with the Giants last week, and if it were up to him he never would have left.
Collins was drafted by the Giants in 2015 and played four years for them, making the Pro Bowl three times. He said he dreamed of playing his whole career for the Giants, but when he hit free agency in 2019, former Giants General Manager Dave Gettleman didn’t try to re-sign him.
“I want fans to understand that. It wasn’t the Giants. It was Dave Gettleman,” Collins said, via the New York Daily News. “It sucked. I wanted to stay but Gettleman didn’t want me here. So I had to take my chances somewhere else.”
In fairness to Gettleman, letting Collins walk looked like a smart move when Collins failed to live up to expectations after signing a six-year, $84 million contract in Washington. The Commanders cut Collins this offseason after three seasons.
Collins admits he didn’t do much in Washington but says he’ll prove with the Giants “that I still got it.”
“I’ve been injury prone for the past, what, two years, three years?” Collins said. “So that’s my biggest downfall right now. But other than that I’m still a playmaker, I’m still a baller, and I love this game. It’s definitely humbling coming from when you’re the top [guy] and now you’re back to ground one.”
The 28-year-old Collins hopes he never leaves the Giants again.
“Coming back, most likely hoping to retire as a Giant,” Collins said, “is a dream come true.”
