Saquon Barkley has torn ACL
When Saquon Barkley was helped off the field on Sunday afternoon against the Chicago Bears, New York Giants’ fans were holding their breath hoping for the best but expecting the worst. On Monday afternoon, their biggest nightmare was confirmed.
The running back has a torn ACL in his right knee and will be out for the remainder of the season. The team has not announced when exactly he will undergo surgery but have stated it will be in the “near future” after he underwent an MRI at the Hospital for Special Surgery on Monday.
The injury took place in the third quarter after Barkley was tackled by Eddie Jackson. Barkley was in immediate pain after the incident and was unable to put any weight on his right leg.
The 23-year-old is in just his third season with the Giants after being drafted second overall by the franchise in the 2018 NFL Draft. He rushed for 1000 yards in both of his first two seasons in the National Football League and was a key part of New York’s offense.
In his rookie campaign, Barkley had 11 rushing touchdowns and four receiving touchdowns in 16 games, good enough to earn him NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honours. He slowed down a bit last season, but still put up an impressive six rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns during the year in 13 games played.
The blow is a big setback for the Giants who were expected to struggle to get into the playoffs coming into the campaign. With Barkley out for the year, it will be even more difficult for the organization to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2016. New York fans have really suffered in recent years, with the organization making the playoffs just once since they won the Super Bowl in 2011.
“I mean, he’s Saquon Barkley. You lose a guy like that, it’s a huge loss,” said New York running back Dion Lewis, who ended up replacing Barkley on Sunday, via TSN. “As a team, everybody has to step up. Receivers got to step up. O-line has to step up. The running backs have to step up. The quarterback has to step up. Defense has to step up. It’s not going to be one person step up to make up for what he’s done. It’s going to take all of us.”
While the loss is a big blow for the franchise, Barkley’s teammates tried to be as positive and encouraging to the youngster as possible as they know the road to recovery will not be an easy one.
“I know from working out with him over the summer he was looking forward to this season after the ankle injuries last season,” said Giants’ safety Jabrill Peppers. “I’m praying for him. He is a guy who is going to bounce back better than ever. It’s a minor setback for a major comeback.”
New York find themselves without a win after the first two weeks of the NFL season and will be looking to change that on Sunday afternoon when they host the San Francisco 49ers at MetLife Stadium.
