Jason Pierre-Paul, the Giants defensive end who injured his hand in a Fourth of July fireworks accident, posted a video to Instagram last night that shows him working out in an attempt to return to the field as soon as possible. What the video doesn’t offer is a good look at his injured right hand — and the condition of the fingers on it.
For months, Pierre-Paul had avoided letting the Giants evaluate his injury, but he finally did last week, and a report yesterday from ESPN’s Dan Graziano described just how much damage was done. His index finger was amputated, as had been previously reported, but Graziano also reported that Pierre-Paul is missing the tip of his thumb and had a procedure to “close up” his middle finger just days before the Giants examined him. (One source told Graziano that the thumb injury isn’t a significant hindrance to his recovery.) In the Instagram video, Pierre-Paul’s right hand is briefly visible but in motion, and it appears at least one finger is bandaged.
The caption of Pierre-Paul’s Instagram video reads, in part, “Don’t believe the hype … Be back soon!” But Graziano reports that the Giants don’t even plan to see him again for five or six weeks, and if his hand isn’t healed to their satisfaction by then, they will consider rescinding his $14.81 million franchise tender.
