Giants' OLB Brian Burns Believed to Have Torn ACL

Big Blue's pass rush takes a major hit as Burns is believed to have torn his ACL vs. the Titans, leaving Kayvon Thibodeaux to step into a bigger role.

Sep 27, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) reacts after an apparent injury after a play against the Tennessee Titans during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The injury bug has struck the New York Giants again.

One game after Big Blue lost quarterback Jaxson Dart for the season to a major knee injury requiring season-ending surgery, the same outcome reportedly struck outside linebacker Brian Burns.

Burns, per the NFL Network, is believed to have suffered a torn ACL in his right knee stemming from a fourth-quarter play against the Tennessee Titans in which he was rushing into the backfield only to have his knee buckle underneath him.

Burns, who was trying to shake off a left ankle sprain suffered that Monday in the loss to the Los Angeles Rams, immediately grabbed his knee and rolled around the turf in obvious pain. He banged the MetLife Stadium turf angrily before getting up and limping off, flanked by teammates Andrew Thomas and Aaron Stinnie as well as team trainers.

After the game, head coach John Harbaugh said there was “some hope” that Burns’s injury wasn't season-ending, but unfortunately for the team and the star pass rusher, the MRI results have reportedly ended that hope.  

Burns has long been a warrior who has insisted on practicing and playing through his physical ailments, even if it’s not always in his best interest, because he doesn’t want to let his teammates or coaches down.

He missed the entire week of practice leading up to the Titans game so he could aggressively treat his ankle and have a chance to play in Week 3.

Given the rainy, slick conditions that day, Burns being active was a bit of a surprise. But it's clear that the outside linebacker whose nickname is “Spider-Man” after the Marvel Comics hero, insisted he could gut it out.  

With Burns done for the season, the Giants will now turn to Kayvon Thibodeaux to step into a bigger role on defense opposite of Abdul Carter.

New York can also deploy defensive lineman Chauncy Golston as an outside linebacker, move rookie Arvell Reese to that spot in certain packages, or sign Trace Ford from the practice squad to the roster.

Regardless of how they approach Burns’ absence, it’s another significant blow for a Giants team still reeling from losing Dart and now having to carry on without one of its most important defensive players for its remaining 14 games.

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