The New York Giants' 2025 season ended up being about promising young players and preparing for the future, but the team played the majority of the season without arguably its best player, who’s also young. That would be Malik Nabers, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in New York’s fourth game of the year.
The talented wide receiver spoke with the media on Monday, as players headed out for the offseason, and he opened up about his recovery from knee surgery. The question everyone wanted to know was when does Nabers think he will be back on the field. The wideout was extremely transparent, admitting that he’s not putting a timeline on his body. Instead, he made it clear that he will return whenever he feels he’s ready.
Malik Nabers is asked about his target date to return to football activities:
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) January 5, 2026
"When my body feels ready to be out there" pic.twitter.com/H7R3QwKWej
Malik Nabers is listening to his body as he recovers from knee injury
The receiver said he’s right on track in the rehab process, and that his target date for returning to football activities is whenever his body feels ready. When asked if he’ll be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 season, he echoed the same sentiment, saying, “Not really sure. If my body doesn’t feel right, then I’m not gonna go out there.”
These statements certainly left some Giants fans with a sense of concern, as did Nabers showing up to game on Sunday with a cane. When asked about the cane, and if the injury was more complicated than originally anticipated, the young star said “I had a lot messed up in my knee.” However, Nabers said everything was successfully repaired, and the cane was used until the doctor told him he no longer needed it, and that’s why he didn’t have it on Monday.
The main thing Nabers wanted to drive home, though, is that recovering from significant injuries, a torn ACL and meniscus in his case, takes time. He emphasized that every body recovers differently, so he’ll only be focused on how his body is healing. While his answers reflect a responsible and self-aware mindset, he did admit the journey has been tough, often asking why did it happen to me. However, he credited Jameis Winston for encouraging him, and equipping him with the mindset that this situation is an opportunity to go back to the bottom and find his way back to the top.
With that outlook, Nabers is referring to his injury as a blessing in disguise, saying he needed to get back to where he once was to find that hunger. He’s clearly motivated to get back to his Pro-Bowl form, but he will do so on his body’s timeline.