Cardinals RB Trey Benson opens up about 2025 injury setback

Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson was set to lead the backfield after James Conner went down with a season-ending injury last year.

That feeling, however, lasted just one week before Benson suffered an injury of his own. And while he eventually saw his practice window open up after a lengthy stint on injured reserve, he never saw the field again in 2025.

As for the reasoning at the time, former head coach Jonathan Gannon attributed it up to Benson’s knee injury not progressing the way it needed to.

That was about all anyone really knew officially until Benson revealed what really went down in an episode of the Caps Off podcast published Friday.

#AZCardinals running back Trey Benson was on the Caps Off Podcast and shared details on his injury.

Benson said he woke up following the Seahawks game and his knee was swollen. It was reported Benson underwent arthroscopic meniscus surgery.

What happened once his window opened? pic.twitter.com/AopEzMRk0y

— Zach Gershman (@ZachAZCards) June 5, 2026

“I put it on me. I think I was going a little bit too hard and I kind of set myself back,” Benson said. “My window got opened, so I was feeling good then boom. But I think I was going a little bit too hard and I kind of had a setback. I put that on me, though.

“I was trying to get back, because I knew it was my time to shine. I knew I was going to come back and have the opportunity to carry the load and I just had a sense of urgency to get back. Things happen. It wasn’t my time.”

Given the optics of Benson returning to practice only to see his window slam shut without an IR activation, the setback makes total sense.

As for the original injury? That came by surprise.

“I played the whole game. I thought I was good. I went home that night … good. I walked up my stairs and all that. I woke up at 5 a.m. and my knee was swollen,” Benson said. “I called the trainer and I was like, ‘I need to get an MRI.'”

Next thing he knew, Benson had to undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair his meniscus. That had only been reported until the running back’s confirmation on the podcast.

The running back remains on the road to recovery from the knee injury, having not participated in any of Arizona’s organized team activities the past three weeks. Instead, he was seen working with trainers off to the side.

But even when he does get back to full strength, he’s got an even steeper climb to get back to his previous standing.

Arizona didn’t stand pat with its previous rushing attack with first-year head coach Mike LaFleur now in town, opting for Jeremiyah Love in the NFL Draft and Tyler Allgeier in free agency. James Conner is back on a revised deal. Bam Knight re-signed with the team this offseason.

The future of Arizona’s ground game has quickly shifted to Love and Allgeier leading the way, leaving many to wonder what happens with both Conner and Benson moving forward.

If the room gets out of training camp relatively healthy, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see either on the trading block.

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