New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson raised eyebrows Friday night when he appeared courtside at Madison Square Garden, looking energetic and healthy during the Knicks’ game against the Atlanta Hawks — just hours after being ruled out for the team’s Week 18 finale against the Dallas Cowboys due to illness.
Johnson was officially listed as out on the Giants’ final injury report of the season, marking the second straight week he missed games for the same reason.
An apparent illness has circulated through the locker room, previously sidelining players like defensive lineman D.J. Davidson, linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, cornerback Art Green, nose tackle Dexter Lawrence, edge rusher Abdul Carter, and wide receiver Jalin Hyatt during practice.
Earlier this week, reports indicated Carter, Johnson, and Hyatt were sent home due to symptoms.
Photos of Johnson at the game quickly went viral, prompting him to address the situation on his Instagram story with a photo from MSG and the declaration: “I am not sick.“
The discrepancy could draw scrutiny from the NFL, which strictly penalizes inaccurate injury reports, previously fining teams like the Baltimore Ravens for similar violations.
The league is likely to investigate, though neither the Giants nor NFL officials have commented yet.
