On their final offensive play of last night’s game, one of the Giants’ most important players saw his final action of the 2022 campaign. Wideout Sterling Shepard suffered a non-contact knee injury which was immediately expected to be season-ending (Twitter link via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan). It has since been confirmed by head coach Brian Daboll that he tore his left ACL. 
Shepard fell to the ground despite not being touched by a defender; he was ultimately carted off the field. The diagnosis marks the second consecutive major injury he now has to recover from.
The 29-year-old suffered a torn Achilles last December, so news that yesterday’s injury is season-ending is a major blow for him. The Giants’ longest-tenured player, Shepard has battled an number of ailments throughout his career, and has played a full season just twice in his seven years in the NFL.
When on the field, the Oklahoma product has proven himself to be a reliable contributor in the pass game, though. Starting all but three contests to date, he has reached or eclipsed 65 catches in a season three times, recording between 576 and 872 yards from the years 2016-2020. He had once again been a mainstay this year, logging starter’s snaps in all three contests while registering 24 receptions, 154 yards and one score.
In his absence, New York’s situation at WR could become the subject of even more scrutiny. 2021 first-rounder Kadarius Toney sat out yesterday’s contest due to a hamstring injury, the latest in a long line of ailments which have defined his young career. Kenny Golladay, meanwhile, has been at the center of trade speculation given his reduced role under the team’s new coaching staff and front office. Either of those two could see an increase in playing time with Shepard sidelined for the year; the team also has Darius Slayton and rookie Wan’Dale Robinson at the top of the depth chart, along with David Sills, who has taken many of Golladay’s reps.
Maybe no trade golloday now. Sucks man shepherd can’t catch a break like he can catch a tear
I still would dude look horrible yesterday
I knew this could of happen . I saw the replay during the game and no one touch him. Sucks to see players get hurt just running
I’ve seen the replay a few times and still don’t understand what the hell happened. He was barely moving.
A lot of players who get injuries like this it just happens . You don’t need to be touch or tackle to get it
Lamaar Houston, Stephen Tulloch, DeAngelo Williams, Bill Grammatica are just a few NFL players who inflicted injuries on themselves while celebrating.
Players are blaming it on the turf, but it just seemed like a freak thing. I’ve played on far worse surfaces, wishing I had access to what synthetic fields they use now.
Shanahan never shoulda let trey lance outta the garage
They blame the turf, but there has also been a large increases since they shifted to barely practicing and cutting training camps so short.
It is the turf, it has always been the turf since they first started using it. These kinds of injuries were going on well before the cut down practices and training camps.
If he was cutting or stopping short I would agree it could be the turf. Shepherd was just running straight down the field. His ACL must’ve been compromised maybe from his rehab on the torn Achilles. Anyway a shame. I always appreciated his efforts right down to his willingness to block in the run game.
Ron Morris was running straight down the field and stopped to make a catch. Both of his cleats dug into the astro turf and severed both of his patella tendons and his knee caps dislocated into his thighs.
You don’t need to be cutting or making any sick juke moves for turf to pop your tendons.
It happens. Buddy of mine tore his ACL walking in to a bowling alley.
A ton of torn ACL’s going on and I believe the players when they blame the newest iteration of turf, the PAT. It was like when turf first came out and players were blowing out knees and tearing leg tendons all the time and the players were blaming the turf and of course the league pushed back on that. Just like it also seemed to increase concussions and the NFL pooh-poohed that idea as well.
Go back to natural grass.
When turf first came out it was concrete, thick seams and a thin layer of tough plastic carpeting that tore you up. What they have now with the surfaces is miles beyond the what you saw back in the 80s and 90s in the cookie cutter multi-purpose fields like the Vet.
And yet you still have the same problems on this turf as the old stuff. What do you think is still under all that PAT?