Preliminary assessments reveal critical knee damage to New York Giants WR Sterling Shepard

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — New York Giants huge receiver Sterling Shepard suffered what’s believed to be a critical left knee damage, a number of sources instructed ESPN, after Shepard underwent preliminary assessments following Monday night time’s sport.

The damage occurred within the closing minute of New York’s 23-16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. A closing analysis will come Tuesday morning, when Shepard undergoes extra assessments, however the concern is that his season is over.

Shepard, who was cleared to observe late this summer time after tearing his proper Achilles final December, leads the Giants with 154 yards receiving yards by three video games. He is additionally performed probably the most snaps (157) of all of the crew’s receivers.

“It is powerful. It is a powerful sport,” coach Brian Daboll mentioned. “Guys work their butts off to get again from accidents. That is one thing, if he is out for the entire season, which we’ll most likely know [Tuesday] morning … you damage for these guys since you watch them within the rehab room, you watch them within the offseason. It is only a disgrace.”

Shepard, 29, had been shouldering an enormous workload early this season. He was given a upkeep day on Wednesday consequently.

The damage occurred when he was merely jogging close to the suitable sideline within the closing minutes of Monday night time’s loss. He limped onto the cart and gamers from each groups came visiting to supply phrases of encouragement.

“It is powerful. I am not even going to lie. It is onerous to not get choked up about it,” Giants huge receiver Darius Slayton mentioned of seeing the damage. “He is been right here for the reason that first day I acquired drafted. He is carried out rather a lot for me as a younger man. After which seeing him come off the Achilles final yr and rehab all yr, and the way onerous he fought to get again on the market, it is positively onerous to see.”

The play resulted in a what was primarily a game-ending interception. Within the second, that hardly mattered.

Shepard was on the bottom writhing in ache.

“It is onerous,” mentioned working again Saquon Barkley, considered one of Shepard’s greatest pals on the crew. “I’d say I am one of many largest rivals, however after I noticed Shep was down, I used to be like, ‘What the heck is going on?’ Clearly I noticed it was a decide, however in that second, you see him on the bottom, I did not even wish to stroll over there. I dropped, mentioned a fast prayer and … it is powerful. He is been by a variety of accidents lately, it is powerful to come back again and battle the best way he has, from an Achilles, and to go down on a play like that, it is a powerful option to finish an emotional sport.”

The Giants (2-1) misplaced for the primary time this season and for the tenth time in 11 tries in opposition to their division rivals.

Shepard has been round for chunk of these losses. He’s the longest-tenured Giants participant. He is been with the crew since being chosen within the second spherical of the 2016 NFL draft out of the College of Oklahoma.

The veteran receiver took a pay reduce this offseason to stay within the space and with the Giants. That is the newest blow to a profession that has veered off monitor lately.

“Hate to see that for him,” quarterback Daniel Jones mentioned. “Nobody deserves that, however particularly not him. He works his tail off and means a ton for this crew, for all of us.”

Shepard has persistently produced for the Giants. The issue is that he hasn’t been in a position to keep on the sector.

This may possible be the fourth straight yr he is missed a minimum of 4 video games due to accidents. He is handled Achilles, quad, hamstring, toe and concussion issues up to now few years. Now, it is his knee.

“I simply really feel horrible for the man,” Daboll mentioned.

However Shepard was in a position to get again from the Achilles damage in simply over eight months. He regarded good at observe late this summer time and returned to sport motion for the season opener in opposition to Tennessee on Sept. 11. He caught a 65-yard landing in that contest.

Shepard has 362 profession catches for 4,038 yards and 22 touchdowns.