Giants’ wide receiver Sterling Shepard has been officially diagnosed with a torn Achilles, per a club announcement. This will be a season-ender for Shepard, who has not played a complete season since 2018.
2021 was already an injury-riddled season for Shepard as today’s game against the Cowboys was only his second game since returning from a four-game absence caused by a quad injury. Shepard also missed three weeks in October due to a hamstring injury.
When he’s healthy, Shepard is a favorite target in the Giants’ offense and tends to be a reliable one. In his last full season, Shepard caught 66 balls for 872 yards (both career highs). In his rookie season (the only other season in which he’s played all 16 games), Shepard caught a career-high 8 touchdowns. Last year, despite missing 4 straight games early in the season, Shepard was able to match his career high for catches in a season from 2018.
So it stands to reason that his best football is still ahead of him, if he can just get and stay healthy. But, over his six seasons in the NFL, this has a been an extremely tall order for the wide receiver, with this injury putting a demonstrative period on his toughest season yet.
Tight end Evan Engram and receivers Kenny Golladay and Darius Slayton will continue to get the majority of targets with Shepard and rookie first-round pick Kadarius Toney out. Former Bengals’ receiver John Ross could see an increase in snaps, as well, due to those same injuries.
Sighhhh…..man what coulda been for him if he could 1) stay healthy and 2) play on a team with a QB.
He’s actually pretty lucky. He doesn’t have to take part in this s$&t show anymore.
Good teammate, good leader, when healthy a sure handed good route running receiver, however he can’t stay healthy and with a minimal cap hit I’m sure we’ve seen the last of him in a NYG uniform.
What a shame.
Yes, when the writer actually says “his best football is ahead if him, I guess he has discounted the fact that he’s only played 6 games of football this season, 12 in 2020, and 10 in 2019….he isn’t the only Giant player of not being able to stay on the field, but as a potential playmaker…..his best days are behind him Zach, not in front of him…..he’ll be a cap 2022 casualty!
Pray for his family
Yes lets keep starting mike glennon over jake frohm. Makes total sense! Love to see under 150 yds passing and multiple turnovers. Why see what frohm could be? Why did Shepard even come back today? How is everyone not fired for this debacle? The training staff to the coaching staff its a joke. No way in heck should the gm come from within. We cant trust abrams to draft two top 6 picks along with a top 6 in the 2nd round and 2 picks in round 3
nah, Glennon is more proven than Fromm right now, and the Giants are Wild Card contenders!
Darkside have you been drinking? Giants are 4-10. The wild card is long gone. Frohm should start the rest of the way to possibly prepare him to be a backup to jones next season. No point in glennon at this point!
Brooklynmetsfan well said. I really hope they don’t stay within by hiring Abrams. Big mistake. They need to hire someone from the outside. 5 picks in the top 100 cannot be screwed up.
Any relation to Sterling Sharpe (former WR)
You’re likely trolling since they share the same first name and not last.
No, they’re not related.
Sterling Sharpe is brothers with Shannon Sharpe.
How does this article say it stands to reason his best football is ahead of him? There’s a strong chance he can’t play next year, which means his next season he’d be 30, and the article talks about how he hadn’t played a full season since 2018. Unfortunately this could mean his career as anything more than a WR4 is over.
Hate to see him get hurt but for 36 catches for the season and can’t stay on the field cut him. Need a GM that can make our two first rounders solid picks. I am done with RB he is mediocre, QB move on. Peppers is done, Andrews cut, Galloday dump, and start over. GANO mvp.
‘So it stands to reason that his best football is still ahead of him,’
How did you come to this conclusion? While I would love it as a Giants fan, his career might essentially be over. He’s going to be lucky to play next season and already has a host of injuries. Plus a torn achilles is a major injury to come back from. He’ll be almost 30 the next time he takes the field, if he can. WRs don’t age well.
If this dude could just stay healthy . . .
Matt Nagy to the Jaguars?