Giants’ Kadarius Toney not bothered by lack of playing time in Week 1 win: ‘I did my job’

New York Giants first-round pick Kadarius Toney did not see many offensive snaps against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, and he is perfectly fine with it. 

Why? His team chalked up a win on their record to start the season. 

“If I played two plays, one play, and we won, bro, I don’t really care nothing about getting in,” he told reporters via NJ.com. 

One would think Toney, a highly-gifted wide receiver that has showcased his ability to make defenders miss with quick cuts and speed, wanted to see more time on the field. While that likely is the case, he took the team approach: He just wants to win. 

“Disappointed in a victory? Disappointed in winning? You sound crazy,” Toney said. 

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Toney was fully healthy entering the game, though he was dealing with an injury prior to Week 1. He played just seven offensive snaps out of the total 60 and was not targeted once. However, he did have the ball handed off to him twice, one of which he took for 19 yards. 

Wan’Dale Robinson, the team’s second-round pick out of Kentucky, went down with a knee injury in the first quarter. Still, it was Richie James, the wide receiver who signed with the Giants this offseason, that filled in for him in the slot. 

James finished the game with five receptions and 59 yards on the day, playing 42 snaps for Big Blue. 

With a new regime in place, led by head coach Brian Daboll, things are expected to be different in East Rutherford, N.J. However, Toney’s playing time was not expected to be in question, at least not this early in the campaign. Sure, wide receiver is a deep group with Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard and others on the depth chart. Toney’s talent is undeniable, though, and fits the new offensive scheme that offensive coordinator Mike Kafka developed with Daboll.

Will Toney’s playing time be more of the same moving forward? The Giants’ home opener against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday might answer that question.

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Either way, Toney is going to relish in the team’s first win, something they did just four times in 17 games during his rookie season last year. He will also continue to prepare for each game like he is playing every snap.

“I get paid to play, not coach,” Toney said. “I don’t know what the plan was. At the end of the day, I just prepared as if I was going in and playing every play. I don’t know what else to say. 

“At the end of the day, I did my job. I get paid to do one thing – do my job.”