It's no secret Markus Golden's tenure with the Giants ended with the parties at odds.
Now, the former Big Blue standout, who has re-signed with the Arizona Cardinals, has made a bold claim about just how unhappy he was in New York.
Golden, speaking with reporters on Wednesday, suggested that his rift with Giants brass over his playing time and contract situation even had him contemplating premature retirement.
“A lot of people don’t know, I was going through a lot down there in New York," Golden said, according to Arizona Sports. "I felt like last year in New York, I got out there, I competed, I did everything to prove that I was the guy, and they didn’t give me the opportunity, so that took my love away from the game a little bit. Not gonna lie, that rubbed me the wrong way a little bit, because that’s what the game’s always been about."
The 30-year-old Mizzou product added that he felt "disrespected" after he saw a steep decrease in playing time last season with Giants, who signed him to a one-year, $3.75M deal last offseason after he apparently drew little interest in free agency, despite leading the Giants with 10 sacks in '19.
“If you work hard do what you’re supposed to do on the field you’re gonna be out there. I felt a little disrespected by New York, so when the Cardinals came and traded for me it was a blessing. Because it’s like, who else is gonna come save me and get me out of a situation like this? The Cardinals.”
The Giants ultimately unloaded Golden in October in return for a sixth-round draft pick, sending him back to the franchise that drafted him in the late second round back in 2015.
The Cardinals, for their part, were in need of edge depth following the season-ending injury to star pass-rusher Chandler Jones.
Golden's new deal with the Cardinals was said to be worth two years and $9M.