Giants RB Tyrone Tracy, Jr. Avoids Worst-case Scenario After Injury Scare

Giants RB Tyrone Tracy, Jr. was carted off the field Tuesday following a scary looking injury.

Jul 26, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29) carries a ball during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | Lucas Boland-USA TODAY Sports

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy, Jr., who gave everyone a scare on Tuesday when, during the team’s practice, he clutched his right leg during a punt return drill, has avoided the worst-case scenarios.

Tracy, the team’s fourth-round draft pick out of Purdue, muffed the punt and immediately clutched at his leg, screaming in pain as he hit the grass field. He was on the field for several minutes while the team’s training staff attended to him. He then was finally removed from the field, his right leg in an air cast, via a cart, the image conjuring up fears that his injury was potentially season-ending.

The Giants confirmed that Tracy had suffered an ankle injury that would require further imaging and evaluation, which was to be done at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. But hours later, good news began to trickle out of the team’s East Rutherford, New Jersey headquarters, first with an ESPN report that Tracy was still in the team’s facility attending post-practice meetings.

The NFL Network then reported that imaging tests confirmed the rookie running back suffered a low ankle sprain, a week-to-week injury that requires him to be in a walking boot.

It’s not yet known how many weeks Tracy will miss, but there is a good possibility that with two-and-a-half weeks until training camp rosters need to be trimmed to 53 men, the running back could be part of the league’s new injured reserve rule in which up to two players placed on injured reserve during the roster cutdown date to 53, can be designated to return after four weeks on IR instead of being lost for the season if placed on IR during the cutdown date.

Last week, Tracy appeared in five offensive snaps, all rushing attempts. He logged 26 yards, 23 yards after the contact, and forced four missed tackles in his impressive yet limited NFL preseason debut.