New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers will be making his highly anticipated return to the field Sunday night. Nabers, who warmed up with his fellow receivers during pregame, was not listed among the Giants’ inactives leading into tonight’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.The Giants have been hoping since the beginning of camp that Nabers, 23, would be ready to suit up Sunday night and play his first game since he tore his ACL and meniscus in Week 4 last season. That hope has been realized.What does a successful season look like for the New York Giants?Charlotte CarrollNabers underwent a second “clean-up” surgery in the spring, but it did not cause him to start training camp on the physically unable to perform list. This week, the No. 6 overall pick from the 2024 NFL Draft fully participated in every Giants practice but was listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report. Ultimately, the Giants said the decision would come down to how Nabers was feeling.“I think he’s ready to go, man,” coach John Harbaugh said earlier this week. “If he’s ready to go, and he feels like he’s ready to go, then he’ll play. If he’s not, and he’s not ready, then he won’t play. That’s how it works.”
Nabers has said since the beginning of the summer that he’d return when his body tells him it is ready. He continued to express that sentiment when he spoke with reporters this week.“The decision is the decision,” Nabers said. “Everyone has to understand that, at the end of the day, it’s my career. It’s my body. I know when I’m able to play, and I know when I’m able to do what I want to do. So, everybody’s got to live with the decision on what I want to do with my career.”While Nabers is officially back, how quickly he returns to his pre-injury form remains a question. However, his mere presence on the field is a huge lift for quarterback Jaxson Dart and a Giants offense that underwent a scheme shift this offseason under new coordinator Matt Nagy. Nabers is a game-changer, and defenses have to respect his speed and explosiveness. As a rookie, Nabers burst onto the NFL scene by tallying 109 receptions for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns.The Giants kick off Week 1 on Sunday Night Football at 8:20 pm ET.
