Brandon Marshall appeared in just five games for the New York Giants before suffering a season-ending injury, and he did not look like the same player even when he was on the field. Some have wondered if the wide receiver will consider retirement this winter, but that is not going to happen.
Marshall is still under contract with the Giants after signing a two-year deal, and he says he wants to remain in New York. The 33-year-old believes he can play at a high level for at least two more seasons.
“I’m all-in on football. I’ve rebuilt my body,” Marshall told ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. “I think I’m two great years away from — and I’ll say it, I want to be a Hall of Famer, and I think I got two great years to go to be mentioned with some of the greats. I’m not just playing this game just to be a guy; I want to be remembered for the product that I put out on the field.
“So these last few years have been tough, last year with the Jets, this year with the Giants. But I’m hopeful that the next couple years for me will be some amazing years and some of my best work.”
Marshall is just two years removed from one of his best seasons as a pro, when he caught 109 passes for 1,502 yards and a career-high 14 touchdowns. We haven’t seen him play anywhere close to that level since 2015. He caught just 18 passes for 154 yards prior to going down with an ankle injury this year, and the 33-year-old understands the Giants may not want to pay his $5.5 million salary for 2018.
But would he consider taking a pay cut?
“Well, one, it’s not about the money for me,” Marshall said. “I’ve done well, my wife and I, we’ve done a great job. So it’s not about the money. I’m good for life, my kids are good for life. But I’m back to my beast, bullish, Brandon Marshall ways. The things that you guys have seen get me in trouble Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, I’m back to that type of mentality. I want it all. It’s about respect, it’s about finishing strong, and although it’s not about the money, but I’m approaching it as whatever is for me, I want it all. If that’s $100,000, $500,000, $1 million, I want it all. Whatever I’m worth, I want it all.”
New Giants general manager Dave Gettleman has hinted that he will keep some key familiar faces in place in 2018, so perhaps Marshall will get another shot if he can come back healthy. If not, there’s still a decent chance another team would take a flier on him.
