When New York Giants star wide receiver Malik Nabers went down against the Dallas Cowboys, you could immediately tell that something was wrong as the rookie laid motionless along the sideline.
“It was scary when I couldn’t remember what happened or couldn’t remember the last play I was in,” Nabers admitted on October 18. “So, yeah, it was kind of scary.”
Later, the rising playmaker also confirmed that he believes he lost consciousness after hitting the ground.
“From the video that I saw, yes,” Nabers told reporters, regarding a loss of consciousness. “The last thing I remember was [Daniel Jones] throwing me the ball. That was it.”
Although that response led the media to question if any earlier hits may have caused any preliminary signs of a concussion against the Cowboys, Nabers made it clear that he thinks the head trauma was an isolated incident.
“I think it was just that one play,” he said. “I didn’t have any dizziness or headaches from any other hits.”
Nabers told reporters that he is not planning on wearing a guardian cap on his helmet at this time, but did mention that the Giants switched his helmet to a style that is thought to be more protective against head injuries. He also revealed that this helmet was offered to him before the season but added that he declined to make the switch at the time.
Giants WR Malik Nabers Says He’s Been Dealing With Groin Injury Since College
On top of the concussion, Nabers was listed on the injury report with a groin issue ahead of Week 7. Doctors have cleared him of the former, but the groin injury still appears to be lingering.
“I’ve been playing through it since college,” Nabers said of his groin. While also confirming that he feels “ready to go” against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I’ve been dealing with [the groin injury] for so long,” he explained. “So, it’s just becoming a normal thing now.”
Nabers does not expect to be limited at all on Sunday, but he did note that he will do “whatever the gameplan consists of.”
“I’m a focal point when I’m out there,” Nabers said of his potential impact versus the Eagles. “The defense makes different calls when I’m out there. So, not having me made it a little bit harder for [the rest of the offense]. Just having me out there — just the presence that I’m out there — the defense knows I can make plays and [that] helps other guys make plays also.”
Malik Nabers Says Giants Knew About Concert Appearance, Keeping the Discussion In-House
The final major topic of discussion during Nabers’ Friday press conference involved the Travis Scott concert that he attended while recovering from a concussion.
“That’s my business,” Nabers initially responded. “What I do outside this facility has nothing to do with what the media thinks… That’s my business. So, I’m going to keep that in-house.”
When pushed on the subject a bit further, a fierier Nabers said: “That’s they business. If they researched what causes a concussion [and] what makes it worse on the internet — if they say it’s the lights, the hearing, then that’s on them. I didn’t face anything with the lights. They asked me if I had a problem with lights, I told them no. They asked me if I had a problem with sound, I told them no… I was fine.”
To be clear, a member of NYG media personnel questioning Nabers did acknowledge that it is “scientifically known” that the concert appearance would not cause the concussion to get any worse. The rookie wideout also stated that he spoke with the Giants’ medical staff before attending the concert.
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Giants WR Malik Nabers Opens Up About ‘Scary’ Concussion, Status of Groin Injury