Kenny Phillips' return provides a lift to Giants training-camp practice

ALBANY, N.Y. - "You've got to show me you can come back from a day off. Otherwise, what do we need one for?"

I have plenty of answers to Tom Coughlin's question, but something tells me the Giants' coach wasn't interested in any of them.

Neither was Kenny Phillips.

The Giants' third-year safety has had plenty of days off. Sunday was the last one. On Monday morning, Phillips was back on the practice field for the first time since undergoing microfracture surgery on his knee in September.

Phillips took 12 snaps in team drills - two at a time - and even snuck into the four-minute drill, which he was scheduled to sit out. Most of those plays were running plays in which he wasn't involved. The most action Phillips saw was a ball in his area. He dove for that one and got right back up, as he did after a pair of back-to-back slips.

"It's those cleats," Phillips said with a laugh. "I'm just going to blame it on the cleats."

Safeties coach Dave Merritt said he was nervous after seeing Phillips slip. But the former first-round pick popped right back up.

"When I slipped a few times, I was pretty sure it was going to happen," Phillips said. "It's been so long since I played football. I wasn't worried about my knee at all. I jumped right back up and tried to get back to the ball."

"Superman's back. That's what they call me," Phillips said. "It put a smile on my face. I tell them I feel like Clark Kent right now - I'm working on putting that cape back on."

He had been bothered by knee problems during training camp, played the first two games against Washington and Dallas, and then missed the final 14 games after he intercepted two Tony Romo passes. All of a sudden, the defense was without a potential Pro Bowl player.

The Giants are going to take it slow with Phillips, who showed signs of being a dynamic player. He came off the physically unable to perform list after passing his physical over the weekend and was on the field for 12 plays Monday in the team drills - two plays at the start of each period. Tom Coughlin said there is time for Phillips to earn back his starting safety spot, where he would team with free agent addition Antrel Rolle.

"I have no swelling. I have no pain," Phillips said. "I am just playing football right now."

Phillips' return energized the Giants as the drudgery of camp sets in the week before the first preseason game. Coughlin said Phillips will not play against the Jets on Monday night but that he could start the regular-season opener Sept. 12 against the Panthers.

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(nj.com)