GIANTS JUMPIN’ FOR JPP
DE SHOWS UP FOR PHYSICAL
Let the Jason PierrePaul watch begin in earnest now.
After more than two months of speculation and questions following his July 4 fireworks accident, the AllPro defensive end underwent a physical and finally met with Giants higherups on Monday, sources confirmed. PierrePaul flew into Liberty International Airport in Newark in the afternoon, was examined by team doctors at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, and was at the Giants facility, sources said, where he met with coaches and members of the front office.
Now PierrePaul — ,who had his right index finger amputated after the incident — and the Giants have to come to an agreement on a contract and determine how long he will be out. PierrePaul has yet to sign his $14.8 million franchise tag, so the two sides may need to negotiate a new deal once they have assessed his health.
The NFL Network reported PierrePaul has his right hand wrapped, though the broken bones in his hand have healed, and will play with a cast of some sort, at least early on, once he returns to the field.
“We need a healthy Jason PierrePaul, certainly,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “He’s a guy that would add to our team, provided he’s healthy and he can play at the level he’s played at.”
PierrePaul had shunned Big Blue since a July 4 fireworks accident that made national headlines and led to the amputation of his right index finger. He also broke his right thumb and needed skin grafts to repair other damage done to the hand.
Giants trainer Ronnie Barnes and former linebacker Jessie Armstead flew to Miami shortly after the incident, but PierrePaul refused to meet with them. In recent weeks, he spoke to several members of the organization, including Coughlin, general manager Jerry Reese, defensive line coach Robert Nunn and a few teammates.
But everyone at Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Monday seemed excited about the arrival of PierrePaul, who had 12.5 sacks last year. Coughlin went as far as to say he wouldn’t rule him out for Sunday’s regularseason opener against the Cowboys, as long as those odds may be.
“Maybe he comes in and he’s in great shape and the doctors clear him right away, he practices two days, and goes and plays,” Coughlin said. “I don’t know. I’m not sure about any of that, but I’m not going to rule that out, either.”
Coughin also noted PierrePaul has been able to study the new defensive system on an iPad and teammates raved about his smarts. How long will it take for him to get back into shape?
“That’s like asking me, ‘How hard will it be for a Ferrari to get going?’” defensive lineman Robert Ayers said. “Again, that’s what he is. I view him as a welloiled machine. He’s going to do everything he can to get ready. Some guys learn faster than others. ... But I definitely expect him, whenever he’s ready, to be fulltilt and to give it his all.
“He’s a true warrior for us. He’s put in a lot of work for us. He’s grinded, he’s busted his butt for us and this team. To have him back is going to lift everyone’s spirit.
“To see him back, his smile, his energy to this unit, it’s going to lift us up.”