Lions shoot down theory Kenny Golladay is purposely sitting out: ‘He’s not’

Detroit Lions wide receiver Kenny Golladay has only practiced once in a month and a half, and it appears he’s about to miss his seventh-straight game. The Lions never made the decision to put him on injured reserve this year, suggesting they originally expected Golladay to return within three weeks.

Since that never happened, it has caused some to speculate that Golladay is choosing to sit out. His contract expires at the end of the 2020 season, and by choosing not to play, he would be ensuring he doesn’t enter free agency with a serious injury.

However, when asked if Golladay is making a business decision by sitting out right now, interim head coach Darrell Bevell was firm in his denial.

“I can be clear that he’s not,” Bevell said. “The guy is competing, he’s working hard. The good thing for me is I’m in here everyday. I get to see what he’s doing. I get to see what he’s putting his body through to try to get back for us and his teammates. He’s doing that and that’s really what I can say. I love his competitiveness. I love what he’s trying to do. It’s just he’s working with an injury that he’s trying to work through.”

Golladay has not met with the media in over a month, but he’s caused a bit of a stir behind the scenes on a couple of occasions. Back in October, he posted a picture to Instagram with the caption, “This shit gone cost you!” which some have perceived as a reference to his unsettled contract situation. A few weeks later, he liked the NFL’s Instagram post announcing that head coach Matt Patricia has been fired.

With only three games remaining on the schedule, Bevell admitted that the team will soon have to sit down with Golladay and consider ending his season.

“I think that’s a conversation that’s coming,” Bevell said. “We’re really trying to get him back. He really wants to play. He really wants to be in there, but that’s a conversation—where we’re at in the season—that it might come to that.”