New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers’ availability for the Week 1 showdown against the Dallas Cowboys on “Sunday Night Football” is still totally up in the air. The star WR spent most of the offseason battling through a grueling recovery from a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee, and with just over a week until kick-off, he is not committing to being on the field.
The Brutal Road Back From Two Knee Surgeries
This guy’s been through it, big time. Nabers had his ACL reconstructed, plus a full repair of his meniscus, which everybody knows means a longer, tougher recovery period. Then, to make things even worse, he needed a second procedure to remove scar tissue that was causing stiffness in that knee. That’s two knee surgeries in less than a year, which is a massive ask for anyone, let alone a pro athlete ready to dominate.
During the offseason, it looked like Nabers was behind schedule, so it’s a huge win that he avoided the physically unable to perform list in training camp. He even got back to participating in team drills by mid-August. But despite the progress, Nabers is taking a super cautious approach. He made it clear he won’t force himself back if the knee isn’t 100 percent. “My mind is focused on playing the regular season, playing whenever that is and playing what team it is,” Nabers said. He wants to be out there for all four quarters, not having his snaps limited or getting pulled off plays. That’s the real goal.
Why “Looking 100%” Isn’t Enough
Here’s the kicker: even if he looks like his old self, Nabers knows his body. “The outside view, I might look 100%,” he admitted. “I make everything look well. Sometimes I run routes and I look on the internet, and I’m like, ‘Dang, I was moving kind of crazy.’” But for the man in the pads, it’s a different story. He’s got specific things to work on as a football player. “I don’t feel right doing this cut, or I don’t feel right having been hit.” That’s the honest truth right there. He feels good, but there are still boxes to check for the doctors and training staff, though he says it’s “not really anything too big.”
Nabers wants to come out, make no mistakes, and just “be able to fly around and do what I do.” He’s getting there, but with the season opener against the Cowboys looming, it sounds like we might have to wait a little longer to see this electrifying receiver back to his tremendous form, which, by the way, included exploding for 167 receiving yards in his last regular-season action. This is a game-time decision that could define the Giants’ early season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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