The Giants have announced that they’ve placed running back David Wilson on injured reserve and advised Wilson to no longer play football, according to a team release. Wilson’s 2013 season was cut short by a neck injury, and though he was medically cleared to return to practice for the Giants this summer, he suffered another neck injury last week, resulting in the doctors’ decision.
“In light of last week’s episode of symptoms, sensory and motor, [Dr. Frank Cammisa] and I both told David he should not play football anymore,” said Giants physician Dr. Russell Warren. “We let David know that by playing, he would be putting himself at risk for more episodes like last week or perhaps something more serious.”
For his part, Wilson sounds as if he’s heeding the advice of the doctors and ending his playing career.
“I lived my dream. A lot of people only get to dream their dream. I lived that dream. Now I have a chance to dream another dream and live that, too,” Wilson said. “I’m thankful that I can literally walk away from the game and that I am healthy and capable of doing the same things I have done all my life, except play football.”
Wilson, 23, was selected with the 32nd overall pick in the 2012 draft by the Giants, making him the last running back to be picked in the first round. He showed plenty of promise in his rookie season, averaging 5.0 yards per carry and scoring five touchdowns, but his 2013 campaign was derailed by fumbling problems and injuries. With Wilson no longer in the mix, the Giants figure to lean more heavily on free agent signee Rashad Jennings, with Peyton Hillis, Michael Cox, and Andre Williams competing for carries behind him.
As Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports notes (via Twitter), no mention of retirement was made in the Giants’ press release today, but that was likely by design, since Wilson wouldn’t be able to claim injury protection on his salary if he were to officially retire.