All things considered, it is actually quite impressive that Jason Pierre-Paul was able to play during the 2015 season. The guy did lose an entire finger and part of another, after all.
While speaking to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine on Thursday, Giants general manager Jerry Reese praised Pierre-Paul for returning so quickly from his fireworks mishap.
“After you look at that injury, I think it’s a miracle that he was able to walk out there and play for eight games for us,” Reese said, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. “It’s really unbelievable after you really see what happened to his hand.”
Pierre-Paul is set to become a free agent, and it’s unclear how much of an effort the Giants will make to re-sign him. He underwent an additional surgery on his middle finger last month that is aimed at improving his grip.
“We know him better, I think, than anybody else would know him,” Reese added. “So, we’re hopeful that this procedure that he had after the season helps him … I know he’s working hard at it.”
The thing Pierre-Paul has working in his favor is that he is just 27. While he clearly struggled at times last season to make tackles with his hand in a cast (video here), it would not be a surprise if JPP got used to playing with his surgically-repaired hand and returned to form at some point.
The Giants were said to be pleasantly surprised with the way Pierre-Paul played last season given the circumstances. JPP might still have to listen to brutal jokes like this, but that doesn’t mean he won’t get paid this offseason.
