Elijhaa Penny

Signed by the Giants off Arizona's practice squad on Sept. 19, 2018. Penny has played in 60 games with 4 starts for the Arizona Cardinals and Giants. His career totals include 59 rushing attempts for 203 yards (3.4-yard avg.), with a long run of 14 yards and 2 touchdowns, plus 16 receptions for 117 yards (7.3-yard avg.) and 28 special teams tackles. He also scored a touchdown on the recovery of a blocked punt.

TRANSACTIONS:

• Signed as a rookie free agent by the Arizona Cardinals on May 9, 2016…Waived on Sept. 3, 2016…Signed to Arizona's practice squad on Sept. 4, 2016…Signed by Arizona to a reserve/futures contract on Jan. 3, 2017…Waived by Arizona on Sept. 1, 2018…Signed to Arizona's practice squad on Sept. 2, 2018…Signed by the Giants from Arizona's practice squad on Sept. 19, 2018.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

• Has played in 60 games with 4 starts for the Arizona Cardinals and Giants...Career totals include 59 rushing attempts for 203 yards (3.4-yard avg.), with a long run of 14 yards and 2 touchdowns, plus 16 receptions for 117 yards (7.3-yard avg.) and 28 special teams tackles…Also scored a touchdown on the recovery of a blocked punt.
• In 2020, played in each of the season's first 14 games…Inactive with a non-COVID-19 related illness at Baltimore (12/27), ending his streak of 44 consecutive games played…Placed on injured reserve on Jan. 2…Finished with 6 carries for 15 yards, 2 receptions for 20 yards and recorded 7 special teams tackles (2 solo)…Rushed for 8 yards on 2 attempts at Seattle (12/6)…Caught an 11-yard pass vs. Tampa Bay (11/2) and a 9-yarder vs. Cleveland (12/20)…Fourth on the team with 241 special teams snaps.
• In 2019, played in all 16 games with 1 start (at Dallas, 9/8)…Rushed for 39 yards on 15 carries (2.6-yard avg.), caught 2 passes for 9 yards and made 2 special teams tackles…Ran for a season-high 15 yards vs. Minnesota (10/6), the 2nd of 3 consecutive games in which he had a season-high 3 attempts
• Scored the Giants' only special teams touchdown of the season vs. Arizona (10/20) when Michael Thomas blocked Andy Lee's punt in the end zone and Penny recovered the ball for the score…It was the Giants' first blocked punt since Sept. 24, 2015, when Rashad Jennings got his hands on a kick by Washington's Tress Way and the ball bounced out of the end zone for a safety...The touchdown was the Giants' first on a blocked punt since Nov. 10, 2013, when Damontre Moore interrupted a kick by Oakland's Marquette King and Cooper Taylor scooped up the ball and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown.
• Penny scored the Giants' first special teams touchdown of any kind since Sept. 18, 2016, when Janoris Jenkins returned a blocked field goal attempt 65 yards vs. New Orleans. Johnathan Hankins had blocked 31-yard attempt by Wil Lutz.
• In his first season with the Giants in 2018, Penny played in 14 games with 3 starts…Played on offense and special teams in his Giants debut at Houston (9/23)…Started for the first time vs. New Orleans (9/30)…Gained 2 yards on his initial Giants rushing attempt at Atlanta (10/22)…Caught 2 passes for 12 yards at San Francisco (11/12)…Started and had 2 receptions for 4 yards vs. Tampa Bay (11/18)…Started and had a season-high 5 carries for 21 yards at Washington (12/9).   
• Penny played in all 16 games for the Cardinals in 2017, when he had 31 rushing attempts for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns, 4 receptions for 38 yards, and 11 special teams tackles.
• Led the team with a career-high 3 special teams tackles in his NFL debut at Detroit (9/10)…Gained 1 yard on his first career carry vs. San Francisco (10/1)…Gained 6 yards on his first reception and had a special teams tackle at Philadelphia (10/8)…Scored his first NFL touchdown on a 1-yard run vs. the Rams (12/3)…Established career highs with 10 carries and 45 rushing yards, including a career-long 14-yard gain at Washington (12/17)…Scored his 2nd touchdown on a 4-yard run at Seattle (12/31).

COLLEGE:

• Played in 23 games with 14 starts in 2 seasons at Idaho after transferring from Cerritos College…Finished career with 385 carries for 1,748 yards and 22 touchdowns, and 39 catches for 346 yards and 3 scores…Also returned 15 kickoffs for 278 yards…As a senior, started all 12 games and led the team with 1,159 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 246 attempts, plus 27 receptions for 239 yards and 2 scores…In 2014, played in 11 games with 2 starts in his first season at Idaho….Led the team with 589 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 139 carries, plus 12 catches for 107 yards and a score…Prior to transferring to Idaho, ran for 1,338 yards on 199 carries and scored a school record 20 touchdowns as a sophomore at Cerritos College in Norwalk, Calif….Named first-team All-America and the Northern Conference Offensive Player of the Year…Began his career at College of the Sequoias in Visalia, Calif., where he played in 8 games and had 22 carries for 102 yards and 2 touchdowns.

OFF-THE-FIELD ACTIVITY:

• Co-founded the 2 Cent Family Foundation with his brother Rashaad Penny, who plays for the Seattle Seahawks, to provide recreational experiences, educational resources, and a free football camp to children in their hometown of Norwalk, Calif….Represented his 2 Cent Family Foundation during the NFL's Week 13 My Cause My Cleats initiative…Partnered with My Sisters' Place and the Mt. Vernon (N.Y.) High School football team during the 2020 season to promote racial equity in education through the Team of Teams initiative.

PERSONAL:

• Organizational studies major…Graduated from Norwalk (Calif.) High School, where he played running back, defensive end and linebacker…As a senior, earned all-state honors and was named all-area each of his last 2 seasons…Two-time winner of the Suburban League MVP and was the Wave Newspaper East Region Player of the Year after gaining 2,005 yards and scoring 18 touchdowns as a senior…Added 29 tackles and 1.5 sacks on defense…As a junior,  ran for 1,569 yards and 22 touchdowns while totaling 62 tackles, 8 sacks and 4 interceptions…Brother, Rashaad, was a first-team All-American running back at San Diego State, where he led the NCAA with 2,248 rushing yards in 2017; Rashaad was drafted by Seattle in the first round (27th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.