2 min read • September 27, 2022
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Wide receiver Sterling Shepard collapsed on the field and had to be carted off after suffering a non-contact left knee injury on the Giants' last offensive play of Monday's game.
The non-contact, away-from-the-play injury is consistent with a left knee ACL tear, according to the Pro Football Docs.
Shepard appeared to relax while finishing his route and his surround muscles likely didn't activate to protect the ligament, according to the Docs.
Head coach Brian Daboll said to reporters that the injury “didn't look good” and that it could end Shepard's season.
A torn ACL would require reconstructive surgery and Shepard would miss the rest of the season with hope for a return in 2023.
The Docs also noted that Shepard's left knee was bent while leaving on the cart, which could signal that he suffered an associated bucket handle meniscus tear.
Meniscus damage can cause scar tissue and swelling and complicate ligament recovery as David Bahktiari has experienced the last two years.
There is no evidence that the ligament tear has a direct correlation with the wideout's December 2021 left Achilles rupture, the Docs said.
Through three games, the 29-year-old was by far the most productive wide receiver on the Giants, hauling in 13 catches for 154 yards and one touchdown.
He will be a 30-year-old unrestricted free agent in 2023 after his four-year, $41 million extension ends this season.
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