Jason Pierre-Paul suffered a horrific hand injury due to a fireworks incident on the Fourth of July, and some members of the New York Giants believe the defensive end could miss the entire season, according to ESPN's Dan Graziano.
Pierre-Paul's right index finger was amputated as a result of the mishap. He also suffered a fractured thumb and received skin grafts. The 26-year-old is missing segments of his right hand, which was unbeknownst to the organization.
Some members of the Giants believed that Pierre-Paul would be able to return for the 2015 season, but now believe that he'll be unable to suit up after learning about the severity of the injury.
It was reported Tuesday that Pierre-Paul could be out for more than a month after undergoing a physical Monday with the Giants. However, it appears increasingly unlikely that he'll see the field this season.
Pierre-Paul is yet to sign his franchise tag, that would pay him $14.8 million for the campaign. The two-time Pro Bowler was expected to sign the tender at a prorated level upon returning to full health, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Monday. If Pierre-Paul signed the tender, he could be placed on the non-football injury list, that would allow the Giants to not pay him for the first six weeks of the season.
Some members of the organization believe it's possible Pierre-Paul will return at some point before season's end. However, it would be almost impossible at this juncture to accurately project a timetable for his return.