Giants Q&A: What's next at QB after Tyrod Taylor's injury?
Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor is tended to after getting hurt during game against the Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Errol Anderson
What happened to Tyrod Taylor?
The quarterback, who has played the last three weeks while Daniel Jones recovers from a neck injury, was knocked out of the game with a serious rib injury midway through the second quarter of the Giants’ 13-10 overtime loss to the Jets.
Taylor was flushed from the pocket, fumbled the ball in the air, recovered it himself and was driven to the turf in front of the Jets’ bench. He was tended to on the ground, got up and jogged across the field to the Giants’ bench area, then appeared to collapse before retreating to the locker room.
Taylor eventually was taken to Hackensack Medical Center for examination during the game, and it was announced on Sunday evening that he would remain there overnight for observation.
“Prayers go out to him,” Brian Daboll said. “I hope he’s OK.”
Who replaced him?
Tommy DeVito, who began the season on the practice squad, had been elevated to the backup role the previous two games and wound up making his NFL debut by finishing up this contest.
He became the first undrafted rookie to throw a pass for the Giants in a regular-season non-strike game in the common draft era, which began in 1967. DeVito, who grew up in nearby Livingston, New Jersey, and played at Don Bosco High School and Syracuse, ran for a 6-yard touchdown to give the Giants the lead but threw only seven passes, completing two, none of them for positive yardage.
“A lot of emotions,” DeVito said of his experience. “Wish it would’ve ended better to fulfill those emotions, but the little kid in me is smiling right now that I got to play in an NFL game and really in a meaningful NFL game. I just wish the outcome would’ve been different.”
Who will play quarterback next week?
That remains to be seen. Jones continues to await medical clearance to return to full contact participation.
“I can’t give it to you right now,” Daboll said.
The Giants had workouts with veterans Matt Barkley and Ian Book a few weeks ago after Jones’ injury but did not sign either. That could change depending on the prognoses of the current quarterbacks on the roster.
Said Daboll, “We’ll talk about that stuff [Monday] when I sit down with Joe [Schoen] and the rest of the guys.”
What happened to Darren Waller?
The tight end made one play, a crossing catch early in the second quarter, and left the game after aggravating the hamstring injury that had him listed as questionable coming into the contest.
“Obviously, I feel like I had more to give, but I was running that little crossing route and I knew my day was over,” Waller said.
Didn’t Waller miss eight games with a hamstring injury last season? Could that happen again? He wouldn’t rule out that possibility.
“Those thoughts would go through anybody’s head who is in my position,” he said. “It’s tough to deal with. All I can do is be back as fast as I can.”
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
