On Friday, the world saw Jason Pierre-Paul’s mangled hand for the first time since his Fourth of July fireworks accident. Next week, the world may see Pierre-Paul on the field for the first time this season.
Jason Pierre-Paul has a ‘real chance’ at returning in Week 9
The Giants are impressed with Pierre-Paul’s conditioning and expect him to return to the field soon.
NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reports there is a "real chance" that Pierre-Paul will play next Sunday when the Giants take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Giants, who officially inked Pierre-Paul to a one-year contract Tuesday, are reportedly impressed with his conditioning. Members of the Giants' medical staff didn't examine Pierre-Paul until September, but determined he wasn't ready to play at the time.
But Pierre-Paul has now been cleared to step onto the field again, and actually participated in team drills Thursday. Though he didn’t travel with the Giants to New Orleans this week, his return appears to imminent. Pierre-Paul told the media Friday he already feels like he’s overcome his biggest obstacles.
“I don’t have a desire to prove anybody wrong. The day I walked in here I already won,” Pierre-Paul said, via the New York Daily News. “People said I was going to be out for the whole season. And I knew what kind of effort I put in the offseason way before this happened. Just coming back, I already won.”
Pierre-Paul’s fireworks accident forced him to amputate a finger, and cost him a hefty sum in potential salary. The Giants franchise tagged him over the offseason, but he refused to sign the $14.8 million tender. New York reportedly withdrew its four-year, $60 million contract offer to Pierre-Paul after the Fourth of July fiasco. Because Pierre-Paul opted to not sign his franchise tender, the Giants couldn’t offer him another multi-year contract.
Pierre-Paul can still earn up to $8.7 million on his new, incentive-laden deal, which Rapoport says will pay him $50,000 for every half a sack. If Pierre-Paul records 10 sacks this season, he will collect all $8.7 million.
If Pierre-Paul plays well during the second half of the season, he may set himself up for a significant payday in free agency. The two-time Pro Bowler has brought down the quarterback 42 times in five seasons and recorded 12.5 sacks last season alone. Even with an amputated finger, Pierre-Paul could still be one of the premier pass rushers in football. And given the porous state of the Giants’ pass rush, they need him.
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