Report: Giants' Jason Pierre-Paul could miss season with hand injury
Jason Pierre-Paul's hand injury is worse than the Giants thought, and some within the organization think the defensive end could miss the entire season as a result.
ESPN's Dan Graziano reports the damage to Pierre-Paul's right hand in wake of a July 4 fireworks accident includes not only a missing index finger, fractured thumb and skin grafts, but a missing portion of one of the other fingers on that hand. The Giants had Pierre-Paul in for examination for the first time since the injury, and reportedly fear he may not be able to return to the field at all.
The Giants franchise-tagged Pierre-Paul in the off-season, and reportedly have no plans to rescind it. Pierre-Paul has not signed the tag, and it costs the team nothing until he does. If he signs it, the Giants would be able to place him on the non-football injury list and the team could opt not to pay him as a result. The report indicates Pierre-Paul's chances of winning a potential grievance in the matter would be low, since he admitted the injury took place away from football.
• Pierre-Paul's perplexing case continues to loom over Giants
Pierre-Paul reportedly offered to play with a protective device on his hand last week, but the Giants were reluctant to pay the per-game cost (roughly $871,000) if he was not at 100 percent. According to the report, others within the Giants organization were enthused by Pierre-Paul's “attitude, demeanor and physical condition apart from the hand.” The defensive end has been working out and rehabbing at home in South Florida since the accident.
Earlier this week, reports surfaced that the Giants and Pierre-Paul were likely to restructure his contract before he re-signs and rejoins the team.
- Jeremy Woo
