The New York Giants are excited to see what recently re-signed pass-rusher Jason Pierre-Paul can do after surgery that Pierre-Paul says will allow him to play without a club on his injured right hand.
Pierre-Paul played eight games last season, all with the hand he damaged in a fireworks accident heavily bandaged, and made just one sack. The injured appendage was a clear impediment, as Pierre-Paul looked as explosive as ever but struggled to wrap up opponents.
Jeff Zgonina, the Giants' new assistant D-line coach, says he can empathize with what Pierre-Paul went through.
"I've had my fingers broken, and I know just how hard it is to use them," Zgonina, a former player, told James Kratch of NJ.com. "I needed my hands. I couldn't imagine being out there with one hand, basically.
"I was shocked (at how well Pierre-Paul played). He made a lot of plays, and he was still really disruptive with that big club."
Pierre-Paul will never get the parts of the thumb and finger he lost back, but he believes his hand has now healed to the point where playing without a club is possible.
Zgonina believes that will make Pierre-Paul much more effective: "Oh yeah, the sky's the limit now."
Further emphasizing the point, Pierre-Paul posted a series of videos to Instagram on Wednesday showing him working out with no protective covering on his hand: