Giants head coach Brian Daboll has confirmed New York's worst fear. Wideout Sterling Shepard did, in fact, suffer a season-ending ACL tear in Monday's 23-16 loss to the Cowboys. The injury occurred on the Giants' final offensive play of the game: Dallas cornerback Trevon Diggs intercepted Daniel Jones after David Sills V fell down, and the Cowboys offense kneeled out the rest of the clock. On the other side of the field, Shepard had pulled up before suddenly clutching at his knee and falling to the turf.
After the game, Giants coach Brian Daboll said that the injury "didn't look good" and added that Shepard missing the rest of the season is a possibility, via The Trentonian. That fear has now be realized.
"He's a big part of this team," Daboll said Tuesday.
Shepard tore his Achilles in Week 15 of the 2021 season, also against the Cowboys, and made an impressive recovery to be ready for Week 1 of this season. He currently leads the Giants with 154 receiving yards and is the only Giants wide receiver with a touchdown -- a 65-yarder against the Titans in Week 1. The only other Giants players with a receiving touchdown this season are tight ends Daniel Bellinger and Chris Myarick.
It's another tough blow for a Giants receiving corps that can't really afford it. Kadarius Toney, a 2021 first-round pick, was inactive Monday due to a hamstring injury and has two receptions for zero yards this season. Wan'Dale Robinson, a 2022 second-round pick, was also inactive with a knee injury. Kenny Golladay, who publicly aired his frustrations over a lack of playing time last week, did not have a catch Monday and had a crucial drop.
The only remaining wide receivers on the active roster are Sills V, Richie James and Darius Slayton, who does not have a catch this season.
For Shepard, the injury bug continues. He has not played a full season since 2018 and has battled a bevy of injuries since his NFL career began in 2016, including calf, quadriceps and hamstring issues as well as concussions.
