Giants fans give WR Kenny Golladay loud ovation after he makes first catch since Week 1

New York Giants wide receiver Kenny Golladay gave fans a reason to cheer on Sunday. In the first half against the Detroit Lions, Golladay caught a pass.

On second-and-17 with 12:15 left, quarterback Daniel Jones threw a pass to Golladay. He caught the ball, fell to the ground and was swallowed up by several Lions defenders. As soon as the pass landed in his hands, the crowd went absolutely wild.

That catch was just Golladay's third of the year, and the first since Week 1. He's barely played this season due to a knee injury that's limited him to just six games, including Sunday's. Week 10 was his first game back since Week 4 against the Chicago Bears.

Despite all the time Golladay missed with an injury, the cheering might not have been entirely wholesome and supportive. Some of it was definitely sarcastic, since Golladay hasn't done much when he's played this season. Coming into Week 11, he's made two total catches on eight targets, and played an average of 37% of the snaps, a massive reduction from previous years.

So what's behind that usage, or lack thereof? One clue might be the four-year, $72 million contract Golladay signed with the Giants in March 2021. He signed that a year before new general manager Joe Schoen and new head coach Brian Daboll were installed. They inherited him, so if he doesn't work with what they're doing, they have no reason to play him. He was targeted two times in Week 1, three times in Week 3 and once in Week 4. In Week 2, he played just two snaps.

But no matter why the fans were cheering, a catch is a catch.