Giants linebacker Lorenzo Carter draws inspiration from how Kevin Durant came back from same injury
Giants linebacker Lorenzo Carter looks on from the field during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Wednesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
One of the most important steps in Lorenzo Carter’s long return from last year’s surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon took place at Barclays Center earlier this summer. That was when he attended a couple of Nets games and got to watch Kevin Durant play.
Durant had suffered the same injury that ended Carter’s 2020 season, and even had his Achilles repaired by the same surgeon, Dr. Martin O’Malley.
"Just to see a guy like KD come back from an Achilles and do what he is doing right now and knowing I had the same surgeon," Carter said, "I have to trust all the trainers and we have the same protocols, have the best people in the world with their hands on me. I just trust the process. You know it’s going to be work but you have to put it in."
Carter said he never got a chance to speak with Durant about his injury or rehab, but just knowing that a comeback to the top of one’s game was possible filled him with promise.
Unlike many of the Giants who are coming back from injuries and surgeries, Carter did not start this training camp on PUP. He was active in spring practices and was flying around in the first few practices earlier this week before a separate injury sidelined him. Joe Judge said it was not an aggravation of the Achilles and did not seem concerned about Carter missing too much time.
"Injuries are a part of the game," Carter said. "It’s probably the worst part of the game ever. I wish it could be taken away completely."
They can’t be. But watching Durant showed Carter they can be overcome.
Notes & quotes. Linebacker Blake Martinez was back with the team after being cleared from the COVID-19/reserve list on Saturday. Judge said the returning defensive captain will be eased into on-field activities in accordance with how the team is handling all players exposed to the virus but will be part of meetings … Martinez’s return did not prevent the Giants from reinforcing their inside linebacker depth, signing Todd Davis who has 69 NFL starts and was a member of the Broncos team that won Super Bowl 50 … OT Matt Peart (back) passed a physical and was activated off PUP.
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.
