Donnell relishes return to field
Larry Donnell never thought his career was in jeopardy. But as the wait to be medically cleared to play football following a serious neck injury last November dragged on, and speculation he might never be able to play again started to spread, so did his uncertainty.
“It was scary,” the 27-yearold tight end said on Saturday after Giants practice. “You got to wait and wait. It sucked not being able to play.”
Donnell finally was cleared on April 19 by Giants doctors, and immediately signed his restricted-free-agent tender of $1.6 million for the 2016 season. Now, as he prepares for another NFL season, the fears are long gone for the 6-foot-6 Donnell. He’s healthy and is intent on making the most of this second chance he has.
“I’m just happy to be back here, be able to play the game I love, run around and put the cleats in the ground,” Donnell said. “I’m just excited. I’ve been playing the game all my life.”
And now is the perfect time for him to make a major leap, the Giants’ coaches believe. The tight end position is wide open — Will Tye and Matt LaCosse also are vying for the starting spot — but Donnell, with the most experience and a history of making big plays in the passing game, has the inside track.
Undrafted out of Grambling State, Donnell enjoyed a breakout 2014 — two years after t he Giants signed him off the street — catching 63 passes for 623 yards and six touchdowns. Last year, he was producing yet again, catching 29 passes for 223 yards and two scores — including a game-winning touchdown against the 49ers — before he landed awkwardly making a catch against the Saints on Nov. 1. He was inactive for the next four games and was placed on season-ending injury reserve on Dec. 8.
“In the spring at times, it didn’t look like he was playing as fast,” tight ends coach Kevin M. Gilbride said. “But really now, this training camp, after the first couple of days, he kind of found his rhythm again.”
Donnell said he isn’t thinking about his neck in contact practices, and he won’t be worried about it when the games come, either. He’s focused on taking his game to the next level, improving in areas necessary to being the starter at the Giants’ crowded tight end spot. That includes becoming a better run blocker and holding on to the ball, as fumbling while trying to gain extra yards has been an Achilles’ heel of his.
“Overall with Larry, it can almost be summed up with ‘play stronger,’ ” Gilbride said. “That’s stronger with t he football in his hands — he’s had issues with fumbling in the past — and then also play stronger in the run game. Which again, I’m proud that he’s really taken effort to play stout in the run game. He’s starting to improve in that area and it’s good to see.” Donnell said he believes his time away from football helped him. It gave him the chance to look at his game from a different angle, seeing where he needed to get better. “Things happen. I had to take the time to heal myself, and the time to watch myself, things I was doing wrong,” Donnell said. “It was something bad happened, but I made some good out of it. “There’s no standi ng still. Either you’re getting worse or you’re getting better. I want to continue to get better, and be the best player I can be.”