Earlier this week, New York Giants defensive end and two time Pro Bowl selection Jason Pierre-Paul was involved in a fireworks-related mishap on Independence Day. There was initially speculation over whether or not the rumors were credible, but it has been confirmed that he did sustain significant injuries.
Jason Pierre-Paul Has Right Index Finger Amputated
Around 7 PM EST, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted a picture of a medical report detailing Pierre-Paul’s surgery, to amputate his right index finger. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport verified the document as accurate about ten minutes afterward. This is of course a gray area in terms of legality, as medical records generally cannot be released without the consent of the patient.
ESPN obtained medical charts that show Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul had right index finger amputated today. pic.twitter.com/VI5cbS1uCw
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 8, 2015
Legal issues aside, there may be a practical reason for Pierre-Paul’s amputation. The full extent of his injuries is still largely unknown, but given the small bones in the hand, his decision may have been motivated by what would have been a lengthy recovery period. While potentially rebuilding the damaged parts of the hand/finger could take a while to fully heal, a full removal would be about two months (possibly sooner). This would see Pierre-Paul likely back on the field for the start of the season.
It goes without saying that Jason Pierre-Paul is one of the cornerstones of the Giants’ defense. He had the second highest sack total of his career in 2014 with 12.5. Having him back in time for the start of the season will be a priority, but even when he is fully healed, it will be interesting to see if the loss of his dominant hand index finger affects his ability to shed blocks and take down ball carriers.
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