Arizona Cardinals: Kingsbury reveals a weak excuse for cutting Eno
By Sion Fawkes
Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury was mum regarding the release of running back Eno Benjamin when he addressed the media on Wednesday.
There are two teams in the NFL that can make a win feel as though it were a loss because of crazy and unfortunate events. The Cleveland Browns and the Arizona Cardinals. In case you somehow missed it over the past 48 hours, the Redbirds cut ties with running back Eno Benjamin, who the Houston Texans claimed on waivers. How very unsurprising given Eno’s above-average play this season.
On Wednesday, Kingsbury addressed the situation for the first time since cutting Benjamin. And man, did he give just about the most questionable excuse an NFL head coach can give. Check it out below:
"“I think each case is different. You know, it’s case by case but coaches want to do the best job they can by playing the best players they can and maximizing their personnel. And so sometimes we’re right, sometimes we’re wrong, but you have to be able to ultimately get on the same page and if you don’t like your situation, you got to work harder and do right by the team and your teammates and your coaches.” Kliff Kingsbury, via SI.com."
Quite the 180-degree turn from a coach who couldn’t say enough about the former seventh round pick’s improvement over the summer and training camp. “Work harder and do right by the team,” is where I found the excuse. So Eno wasn’t a hard worker? I find that hard to believe.
Arizona Cardinals head coach makes an awful excuse for cutting Eno
How many seventh round draft picks make their respective teams, let alone find at least a part-time starting role with those teams? Very few, and it’s valid to point out the fact that Eno not only stuck around far longer than most seventh round picks, he led the team in rushing yards while incumbent starter James Conner spent time nursing numerous injuries in the trainer’s room.
Eno, who played in all 10 games this season, had 299 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, and a 4.3 yards per carry average. For a seventh round pick in his third season with the club, those aren’t half-bad numbers.
Related Story. Eno’s release means Cardinals will rely on an injury-prone Conner. light
So clearly, Eno was pulling his weight. And in all honesty, the former Arizona State product had every right to be frustrated. Truth be told, he dampened Kliff’s ego, and that’s why he’s now a member of the Houston Texans. Warning to the 53 current Arizona Cardinals: If you do anything to insult Kliff Kingsbury’s ego, you may get the opportunity to play in another NFL city and perhaps even for a Lombardi Trophy.
Article Source: Kyler, Kliff Address Eno Benjamin’s Departure by Donnie Druin
(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference)
Want your voice heard? Join the Raising Zona team!