Giants' Shepard out for season with torn ACL
New York Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his ACL in Monday's loss to the Dallas Cowboys, head coach Brian Daboll announced Tuesday, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan.
Shepard suffered the non-contact injury late in the fourth quarter, and initial tests prompted fears that the 29-year-old was facing a long-term absence.
#Giants Wr Sterling Shepard had to be carted off after a non-contact injury on that INT. Hate to guess but it looks like he reached for that same left leg he injured last December vs. the #Cowboys when he tore his Achilles. This looked like his knee. pic.twitter.com/Z6tzFjUMXS
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) September 27, 2022
It's Shepard's second straight season-ending injury; he tore his Achilles in Week 15 last year after playing in just seven games. He's struggled to stay healthy throughout his NFL career, previously dealing with quad, hamstring, toe, and concussion injuries.
The loss of Shepard - who had 13 catches for a team-high 154 yards and a touchdown through three games - is a significant blow to a Giants receiving group that's already faced injuries to Kadarius Toney and rookie Wan'Dale Robinson.
Richie James will likely assume a larger role in Shepard's absence, while disgruntled veteran Kenny Golladay could see more playing time.
Shepard took a pay cut to return to the Giants this offseason. He's scheduled to become a free agent in 2023.