The New York Giants may be facing a major setback after wide receiver Malik Nabers was carted off the field with an apparent knee injury during Sunday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The incident happened late in the second quarter on a deep pass attempt from rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Taking advantage of a free play after the Chargers jumped offsides, Dart targeted Nabers along the right sideline. As he attempted to plant his right foot and elevate, Nabers went down immediately, clutching his knee in visible pain.
Nabers’ exit overshadows Dart’s first career start
Medical staff rushed to the scene and, after a brief examination, made the call to bring out the cart. Surrounded by teammates, Nabers was helped off the field as fans inside MetLife Stadium looked on in stunned silence.
The Giants later confirmed that he sustained a knee injury but did not offer further details. However, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported shortly after halftime that the rookie receiver is “believed to have torn his ACL.” The team has not yet released an official diagnosis.
A serious injury would be a crushing blow to both Nabers and the Giants. The 2024 first-round pick had a standout rookie campaign, recording 109 catches for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns – numbers that earned him Pro Bowl honors.
Sunday marked his first game playing alongside Dart, the team’s newly named starter, with hopes of building a long-term offensive partnership.
As of Sunday night, the future of that connection is now uncertain.
Doctor confirms ACL signs and outlines long recovery
The image of Nabers being carted off left fans and teammates stunned – especially with the season’s expectations riding on his connection with Dart.
After Rapoport and Tom Pelissero confirmed the feared ACL tear, concern quickly spread online.
“Giants WR Malik Nabers is believed to have torn his ACL, per me and @TomPelissero. A crushing blow,” Rapoport posted on social media.
Sports doctor Deepak Chona later analyzed the footage and shared a detailed medical assessment:?”Does look like an ACL tear. His foot is planted in the turf, the knee twists inwards and bends, and then you see him grab it as he’s going up. All signs point towards an ACL tear.
The average return timeline is about 10 months, and with that, most players are able to recover their performance. It usually does take about a year and a half for him to get all the way back to where he was, but we would expect him to eventually get back.”
If that timeline holds, Nabers would miss the remainder of the 2024 season and likely part of next year as well. Still, the long-term outlook remains optimistic.
In the meantime, support continues to pour in from across the league as Nabers begins what will be a long and demanding recovery process.
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