Giants’ Bizarre Spring Injury Curse Continues as a Third Player Feared to Have Suffered an Achilles Tear

Gunner Olszewski went down with a feared Achilles tear at OTAs on Friday., becoming the third player to suffer that injury in as many weeks.

New York Giants wide receiver Gunner Olszewski is feared to have suffered a torn Achilles during the team's sixth OTA practice. | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

New York Giants wide receiver/return specialist Gunner Olszewski appears to be the latest Giants player to suffer what appears to be a season-ending injury, having fallen during OTAs.

Olszewski suffered what appeared to be a non-contact injury during the team’s sixth OTA on Friday, which was open to the media.

The injury occurred on the team’s outdoor grass field when the receiver started a route before crumpling to the ground and grabbing the back of his lower right leg in frustration.

The Giants immediately sent a cart out to take Olszewski back to the locker room for further evaluation, as teammates took knees, watching with concern. ESPN’s Adam Schefter has since reported that  Olszewski is feared to have suffered a torn Achilles.

Olszewski entered this offseason as the incumbent return specialist and a strong candidate for a slot receiver role.

The 29-year-old returned to action last season after missing the 2024 campaign with a hamstring injury to appear in 16 games with one start.

Olszewski caught 10 of 13 pass targets for 145 yards, most of that production coming in the 2026 regular-season finale in which he recorded his first-ever 100-yard receiving performance when he registered 102 yards on eight receptions (out of nine targets).

Olszewski was better known, however, as a return specialist who could handle both kickoffs and punts.

Last season, he posted 26 kickoff returns for 682 yards (26.2 yards/return) and 24 punt returns for 216 yards (9.0 yards per return).

Three in a row fall to same injury

Olszewski becomes the third Giants player to have suffered a season-ending Achilles injury during OTAs, joining defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris, who tore his Achilles during last week’s third OTA practice, which was held indoors on turf due to inclement weather, and undrafted rookie free agent cornerback Thaddeus Dixon, who tore his Achilles on the grass field during the team’s first week of OTAs.

The Giants receiver room is already on shaky ground. Top receiver Malik Nabers is still working his way back from a season-ending ACL/meniscus injury he suffered in Week 4 of last season.

Fellow veteran Darius Slayton is also sidelined thanks to a sports hernia injury for which he had surgery earlier this offseason.

Rumors continue to swirl that the Giants will look to add another receiver as soon as the start of training camp, with former Giant Odell Beckham Jr headlining the speculation.

Head coach John Harbaugh told reporters earlier this spring that Beckham was continuing to train and that while the receiver looked good during his workout prior to the draft, they would continue to let things play out and revisit the possibility of a reunion during training camp.

The Giants have one more week of OTAs, followed by their annual mandatory minicamp, before they break for several weeks, then reconvene in West Virginia for the start of training camp.

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