With just under three minutes left in the first half of the New York Giants’ electrifying 32-31 win on Sunday, Buccaneers safety Mike Edwards brought down Giants running back Saquon Barkley, accidentally catching his ankle underneath him and bending it awkwardly.
Barkley, the second overall pick in last year’s NFL draft, left the game with Giants fans everywhere fearing the worst.
On Monday, an MRI confirmed that Barkley suffered a high-ankle sprain, an injury that oftentimes carries with it a sentence of roughly four to eight weeks. ESPN’s Adam Schefter, on the other hand, indicated that the prognosis will likely leave the Giants’ sophomore running back sidelined for closer to eight weeks.
Down but not out, 22-year-old Barkley — the 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year — quickly spoke out after the game:
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“I’m not out for the season,” said Barkley. “‘m going to do whatever I can to get back as quickly as possible. Not for myself, but for my team. That’s what I continue to think about. I caught myself getting a little upset on the sideline just because I wasn’t able to be out there with those guys.”
In his rookie year last year, the former Penn State Nittany Lions running back rushed for 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns, while adding 91 receptions for 721 yards and 4 TDs. Poised for another breakout season, this injury will certainly deal a blow to the Giants’ offense as they look to take over control of the NFC East.
In Barkley’s absence, rookie quarterback Daniel Jones led the Giants to victory after recently taking over the starting duties from veteran Eli Manning. Jones went 23-of-36 passing for 336 yards and 4 touchdowns en route to boosting the Giants to a one-point victory.
After their first win, the 1-2 Giants will return home next Sunday to face their division rival, the Washington Redskins. Though Jones looks to be off to a great start as the Giants’ quarterback, the team will certainly hope that Barkley can return as soon as possible to solidify their backfield.
