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Earlier this week, Bills wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin blasted his former teammate, Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton, while speaking to the media. Benjamin told reporters that he felt he would have been better off playing for a QB with better accuracy like Eli Manning or Ben Roethlisberger.
Via CBS Sports
Q: The last play of your college career, you caught a touchdown to win the national title for Florida State with 13 seconds left. Then you set rookie receiving records for Carolina. Things turned in 2015. How would you assess your career since your rookie season?
A: I mean, I felt like I would’ve been even more successful if … I don’t know, man … If I would’ve … Looking back on it, I should’ve just been drafted by somebody else. I should’ve never went to Carolina. Truly, I just think Carolina was bad for me. It was a bad fit from the get-go.
If you would’ve put me with any other quarterback, let’s be real, you know what I’m saying? Any other accurate quarterback like Rodgers or Eli Manning or Big Ben — anybody! — quarterbacks with knowledge, that know how to place a ball and give you a better chance to catch the ball. It just felt like I wasn’t in that position.
Kelvin even doubled down on his comments on Twitter.
I’m just crazy then !!! I was the one who buried my mom and skip the grievance process to get back and help that team …. let be real it’s was all fake .. and to be honest i was salty Who wouldn’t be …. I just ben holding it all in. And now I’m free. Hate me or love me ..🖐🏽
— Kelvin Benjamin (@kelvinbenjamin) August 4, 2018
Before yesterday’s preseason game between the Bills and Panthers, Newton tried to shake Benjamin’s hand but Benjamin chose to walk away which prompted Newton to follow him around.
https://twitter.com/FBForL/status/1027788852398714880
After the game Benjamin was asked about the confrontation with Newton.
More on the exchange between Newton and Benjamin and what followed.https://t.co/FbNxRk9wQQ
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) August 10, 2018
Here’s the full quote of Benjamin’s exchange with the media.
Via Panthers.com
“Moving on from it,” Benjamin said repeatedly. “Just moving on from it.”
A reporter asked what Newton was trying to say to him.
“I wasn’t even trying to listen,” Benjamin said.
Benjamin was later asked if this was at all difficult for him considering how close he and Newton were when his career began in Carolina.
“Not at all man,” he answered. “I play for the Buffalo Bills.”
If Kelvin had something to say about Cam he should have said to his face instead of hiding behind the media.
I give Cam Newton a lot of credit for going up to Kelvin Benjamin and trying to be the good guy. Benjamin was a punk who clearly has an additional beef besides "He didn't throw me the ball good enough."
— Jason Smith (@howaboutafresca) August 10, 2018
Kelvin Benjamin walked away from Cam Newton like a lil punk. Bruh talked all that trash on Twitter and to the cameras and then when Cam approached him like a man and tried to talk to him, he ran away. That lets me further know…KB ain't bout that life.
— Ro4Sho (@ro4sho_) August 10, 2018
All in all, Benjamin has not left this situation looking great. In fact, he’s left it looking quite the opposite.