Giants put Pierce on IR, ending his season
Photo credit: Joe Rogate | Injured Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce watches from the sidelines during his team's game against Atlanta. (November 22, 2009)
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Antonio Pierce
Antonio Pierce is no longer out "indefinitely,'' although his future with the Giants remains just that nebulous.
The starting middle linebacker was placed on injured reserve last night, less than two weeks after he was sidelined "indefinitely" with a bulging disc in his neck. The move ends Pierce's season after nine games, and perhaps even his career with the Giants. Pierce, who turned 31 in October, has one year remaining on the six-year deal he signed to join the Giants in 2005.
Pierce has no immediate plans to have surgery to correct the disc, and the original prognosis will remain the same: Wait six weeks or more to see if the disc will mend itself through treatment and rest. Noted neck specialist Dr. Robert Watkins of California concurred with that plan last week after Pierce visited him for a second opinion.
Still, if the disc does not heal on its own, surgery remains an option.
"The doctors have told me that given my current condition, the risk of playing is too great, regardless of how I feel physically," Pierce said through the team last night. "That is the most disappointing part of this, because I feel great and have no pain. But I will keep my head up and be there the rest of the way to do my part to keep the boys going."
With five games left, the Giants decided they could not wait the four or more remaining weeks. The team did not make any further roster moves Monday night and will likely fill Pierce's spot during the week.
Pierce said he was "shocked" by the news of his injury about a week and a half ago, and judging by his comments on WFAN Monday afternoon during his paid weekly appearance, he was just as shocked to learn that he was put on injured reserve.
"Hopefully in a couple of weeks, depending on what the team wants to do, I can go and get another MRI and see what happens," he said during the radio segment, a little more than an hour before the team's decision was announced.
Pierce first injured his neck in Week 7 against the Cardinals when he suffered a "burner." It went relatively unnoticed until the week leading up to the Falcons game, when Pierce complained of discomfort. A hastily scheduled MRI that Friday afternoon led to the discovery of the bulging disc and he was immediately ruled out for the game. After the win over the Falcons, Pierce told reporters he thought he could have played through the injury, especially since he had been playing through it for two games.
The Giants have already played two games without Pierce this year.
"It's not like when you are on the football field you are saying, 'Oh no, if A.P. was here, things would be different,' " Justin Tuck said Monday. "You do notice his presence in the huddle. Sometimes intangibles get in the way of that. A.P. has a lot of intangibles that made him a great linebacker and a great leader on this defense."
Chase Blackburn has been starting at the position, but outside linebacker Michael Boley has taken over calling the defenses. The Giants also have Jonathan Goff, a second-year player with little game experience who was drafted as a possible replacement for Pierce at middle linebacker.
If Goff develops as the Giants hope he will with increased practice snaps and perhaps even game reps, it would allow them to cut Pierce in March. Pierce has sought contract extensions but the team did not offer him one.
