(Photo Credit: Bobby O’Hara/PuresportsNY)
The Giants release DE Mathias Kiwanuka and RB Peyton Hillis this week. Kiwanuka was the 32nd overall selection in the 2006 NFL Draft for the Giants. He played in 120 games with 82 starts in nine seasons.
“Mathias has a warrior mentality,” said Giants general manager Jerry Reese. “He has been the ultimate team player for this franchise, and was a true pro from day one.”
A member of both Super Bowl XLII and XLVI championship teams, Kiwinuka is the last player to go from recently brought back defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo’s 2007-08 team. As a Giant Kiwanuka has 494 tackles and is ninth on the Giant’s sack list with 38.5.
(Photo Credit: Bobby O’Hara/PureSportsNY)
Coach Tom Coughlin said he will miss a lot of what Kiwanuka brought to his team.
“The thing that has always impressed me about Kiwi is how serious he is about the game,” said head coach Tom Coughlin. “He was always prepared and always in outstanding condition and played very hard. And he had some nasty in him.”
“His character and professionalism and serious approach to the game will be missed.”
Kiwanuka played in the first 11 games of the season before suffering a knee injury on November 23rd against Dallas.
The team also let go of RB Peyton Hillis this week after one year with the team.
Hillis played in the first nine games of the season for New York. He left the game on Nov. 9 in Seattle with a concussion and was placed on injured reserve six days later. Hillis finished third on the team with 115 rushing yards on 26 carries. He also caught 10 passes for another 87 yards.