“New York Giants star outside linebacker Brian Burns tore the lateral meniscus in his right knee, in addition to tearing his ACL, according to league and team sources,” as reported on The Athletic by Dan Duggan. “Burns is scheduled to undergo surgery to repair both injuries Oct. 1.”

Not only did Nabers suffer the same two injuries last season, the Giants’ WR1 was also injured at MetLife Stadium early in the year. While Burns has been ruled out for the season after getting injured in Week 3, Nabers missed virtually the same amount of time after being injured in Week 4 of the 2025 NFL campaign.

Another season-ending injury in New York

As soon as Burns went down grabbing his right knee, fans in the stands and at home turned away from the action, fearing this scenario. Once again, the artificial turf at MetLife Stadium was found at the crime scene and deemed guilty on the spot.

Judging by Nabers’ lengthy and, as he admitted, mentally testing time away from the field and rehabbing, Burns might be in for a similar journey going into 2027. Nabers was a game-time decision for Week 1 this year, so a similar fate could await Burns next season. Still, that’s all a long way into the future.

Burns could be in for ups and downs in injury rehab

Moreover, Nabers underwent a second surgery in the offseason to remove scar tissue that was causing him stiffness in his right knee. Whether something similar might also happen to Burns, there’s no telling until the Giants cross that bridge, and for the time being, it’s the last thing on their mind.

Still, being without their best pass rusher and a veteran presence on and off the field, in addition to losing Jaxson Dart, it’s safe to say the start to the season hasn’t been kind to John Harbaugh’s Giants. Yet, calm seas never made a good sailor, and it might all be the perfect storm for New York to test its sails.

Key takeaways

• Brian Burns tore his lateral meniscus and ACL in his right knee.
• The injury occurred during a Week 3 game at MetLife Stadium.
• Malik Nabers missed extended time after suffering the same injury in Week 4 of 2025.

“@Giants what’s up,” Pierre-Paul wrote on his official X account. A short, concise message with a clear objective: he is available to the team if needed. Burns’ significant absence for an extended period could open the door for the former Giants pass rusher.

Pierre-Paul won a Super Bowl with the G-Men, and his potential return would follow in the footsteps of OBJ, who put the blue jersey back on after a great training camp. Could these two players share a locker room once again in the Big Apple?

Pierre-Paul’s time in New York

Jason Pierre-Paul landed with the New York Giants as the 15th overall pick in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft out of South Florida. Over his eight seasons in Big Blue (2010–2017), he was an absolute force on the edge, racking up 432 total tackles (310 solo), 58.5 sacks, 13 forced fumbles, 7 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions (both returned for touchdowns), and a defensive touchdown off a fumble return.

His breakout year came in 2011, when he exploded for 16.5 sacks and earned First-Team All-Pro honors alongside his first Pro Bowl nod. That same season, he played a massive role in the Giants’ magical postseason run, anchoring the defense as they defeated the New England Patriots to win Super Bowl XLVI.

A two-time Pro Bowler during his tenure in New York, JPP solidified his spot as one of the most dynamic pass rushers in franchise history before being traded in 2018.

Key takeaways

• Jason Pierre-Paul signaled on social media that he is available to join the Giants.
• His potential return follows the comeback of Odell Beckham Jr. to New York.
• The pass rusher previously recorded 58.5 sacks over eight seasons with Big Blue.

The pass rusher had entered this game at MetLife Stadium dealing with an ankle injury and was unable to finish the game after suffering this new setback. Undoubtedly, this is a major blow to John Harbaugh’s defense.

For the Giants, it will now be a matter of determining exactly how long Burns will be sidelined. He plays a major role on the team, not only because of his talent but also because of his impact in the locker room. No. 0 will now have to focus on his recovery in hopes of returning to the field as soon as possible.

The G-Men add another player to the list of those who will be sidelined for an extended period of time. Days ago, it was revealed that Jaxson Dart had suffered a serious injury, ending his season as well due to a knee injury.

How did Burns suffer his injury?

Brian Burns went down midway through the fourth quarter in the Giants’ 12-7 win over the Titans. It was a non-contact right knee injury where he reacted in pain immediately after a play, headed off with the training staff, and didn’t return.

The player went after Cam Ward and, after colliding with an opposing player, immediately went down to the turf. The footage clearly shows the pain Burns experienced in that moment.

The Giants’ next games on the schedule

The Giants have an interesting stretch coming up. First, they stay home at MetLife Stadium to host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4. After that, they head on the road for a key NFC East divisional matchup against the Washington Commanders in Week 5, before returning home to take on the New Orleans Saints in Week 6.

Key takeaways

• Brian Burns is believed to have torn his ACL during the Giants’ recent victory.
• A knee injury previously ended quarterback Jaxson Dart’s season as well.
• The team secured a 12-7 win against the Titans.

“It eases my mind to know it’s not nothing serious,” Burns said to the press once the game concluded. “I’ve dealt with this before. It all depends on how fast you can get the swelling and inflammation down. I’m going to do everything possible to get as tamed as I can.”

The pass rusher also addressed taking immediate action: “The recovery process starts now, so it will be ice and compression until we get back to the facility and do more work on it, try to stay off it, keep it elevated. That’s all you can do with sprains. I’ve dealt with it before.”

Burns’ situation adds to that of Jaxson Dart, who suffered a scary injury, although his diagnosis also appears to be positive. Clearly, the G-Men’s trip to the West Coast was not productive at all.

What exactly happened to Burns?

It was already a brutal night for the Giants, but things got even worse late in the fourth quarter when Brian Burns went down with a left low ankle sprain. With New York trailing 28-6 and under six minutes left on the clock, his ankle got rolled up on behind the play; he couldn’t put much weight on his leg and had to be helped off the field by trainers.

Before exiting, Burns was having a relatively quiet night in a tough game for the Big Blue defense, finishing with 2 solo tackles, 1 tackle for loss (TFL), and 0.5 sacks while battling through heavy attention from the Rams’ offensive line. Fortunately, postgame tests confirmed it wasn’t a high ankle sprain, though his status for next week remains up in the air on a short week.

Short recovery time

The Giants will host the Tennessee Titans at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, September 27—giving Burns less than six days to get that ankle right, clear medical checks, and somehow be ready for game action.

For an explosive edge rusher who relies entirely on burst and quick get-offs to wreak havoc, losing almost two full days of typical game-week prep makes suited-up playing time an uphill battle.

Key takeaways

• Brian Burns suffered a left low ankle sprain during the Giants’ loss to the Rams.
• The edge rusher recorded 2 tackles and 0.5 sacks before his late fourth-quarter injury.
• New York hosts the Titans on September 27, giving him under six days to recover.

“I mean, opportunity lies within the game,” Burns said, via Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. “They’re both pros. Not to disrespect anybody’s craft or anything like that, but the fact that they are so concerned in that area does, I guess, raise some form of an alert in our minds, as far as like just knowing that they’re having struggles. . . . So we can definitely see that as an opportunity to exploit.”

Dak Prescott appears to be well protected heading into Sunday Night Football, but the Big Blue will be lurking, looking to get after him. Can Burns and his teammates sack the Cowboys’ quarterback more than once?

Prescott on high alert

Prescott will be the primary target of a Giants defensive line that had an impressive 2025 season. Players such as Arvell Reese, Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Burns himself appear to pose a major threat to the Cowboys quarterback.

Last season was a stellar one for Brian Burns. He played in all 17 games, totaling 67 tackles, 16.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, seven passes defended, and one fumble recovery. The physicality John Harbaugh is looking for will be on full display from the very first snap at MetLife Stadium.

Schottenheimer’s final decision

Brian Schottenheimer has a tough call at right tackle, though Terence Steele seems to hold the edge over Broderick Jones for the starting job. Steele brings stability after starting all 17 games in 2025, even with a shaky pass-blocking ledger of 6 sacks and 52 pressures allowed.

Meanwhile, Jones is looking to bounce back from a rough, injury-shortened 11-game season with the Pittsburgh Steelers where he gave up 10 sacks and logged a 57.7 PFF grade. Steele’s familiarity gives him the early lead, but the competition is wide open in Dallas.

“That’s above my pay grade,” Burns said at the charity softball event at Clover Stadium. “I think he’d be a great teammate. . . It would be great to have him in the locker room.“

The receiving corps available to Jaxson Dart has been depleted due to injuries. Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton are still recovering, while Olszewski’s injury proved to be a major blow to a depth chart that will look to strengthen itself in order to become a contender in the NFC.

What impact could OBJ have in New York?

If Odell Beckham Jr. makes a dramatic return to New York, he’d be stepping into a very different, localized role as a veteran rotational piece rather than the focal point of the offense. The receiving corps is already crowded with established talent, meaning OBJ would find himself slotted behind the explosive Malik Nabers, the reliable Darius Slayton, and offseason addition Darnell Mooney, while competing for snaps with a speedy weapon like Calvin Austin III.

Instead of demanding target volume, Beckham would serve as a savvy, situational target and a crucial locker room mentor, utilizing his experience to make specific, high-impact plays while letting the younger core carry the heavy lifting.

The Giants’ defense is also bolstered

The New York Giants‘ defense, already anchored by the elite pass-rushing presence of Brian Burns, just got a massive influx of star power to completely redefine their identity. The front office drastically upgraded the second level by selecting explosive linebacker Arvell Reese early in the first round of the draft, adding a relentless, high-motor playmaker to the mix.

They paired that rookie energy with a massive offseason splash, signing veteran Pro Bowler Tremaine Edmunds to bring seasoned leadership, elite coverage range, and reliable tackling to the heart of the unit.

With first-round powerhouse Francis Mauigoa also joining the squad to solidify the trenches on the other side of the ball, this defense is suddenly looking incredibly deep, violent, and fully equipped to give opposing offenses nightmares all season long.

“Some guys, you know, gotta touch the stove to get burned, to learn the lesson,” Burns said to northjersey.com‘s Art Stapleton. “Some guys get it right away. Either way, at the end of the day, we’ve got great guys in our building. We’ll see how it goes, but yeah, I’m real glad [Reese] is on the team.“

The transition from college football to the NFL can be very challenging. If he adapts quickly, Reese could potentially become a player to watch on the Giants’ defense.

Will Arvell Reese be a starter for the Giants?

With the Giants embracing a “position-less” defensive philosophy under John Harbaugh, rookie Arvell Reese is poised to be a Day 1 impact player. Although he shares the field with established stars like Burns, Tremaine Edmunds, and the high-upside Abdul Carter, Harbaugh’s vision for Reese involves utilizing his elite 4.46 speed and 241-pound frame as a versatile chess piece.

While he is expected to line up primarily as an off-ball WILL linebacker next to Edmunds, his history at Ohio State—where he split over 600 snaps between the edge and the interior—suggests he will frequently rotate into pass-rushing packages alongside Burns and Carter.

Burns becomes the leader of this defense

Dexter Lawrence’s departure weeks ago left the Giants without one of their main defensive leaders. Now, it will be Brian Burns who steps up as the voice of command, being one of the most experienced players on this defensive front for John Harbaugh.

Tremaine Edmunds arrived this past offseason from the Chicago Bears, while Abdul Carter will enter his second season as a professional player, and Arvell Reese will be making his first steps in the NFL.

“That’s how I’m kinda looking at it,’’ Burns said Tuesday night via the New York Post. “It’s kind of a nod to what I’ve done and the success that I’ve had, but I don’t take that lightly at all, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity.’’

Although Burns knows he will have a more prominent leadership role in the Giants’ locker room, he is also aware that it will not be just another season without Lawrence on the roster.

“Man, I’ve been in this league long enough to understand ‘next man up’ whenever somebody leaves,’’ he said. “I was just really going to bat for my teammate. He made a decision. It already happened. We kinda got to live with it. Of course I don’t want to play without him because that’s my friend, along with he’s a great player, but we got some things out of it, and we just got to move on.’’

Burns takes the torch from Lawrence

Since arriving at East Rutherford from the Panthers in 2024, Brian Burns has rapidly evolved into the emotional and physical heartbeat of the Giants’ defense. Now serving as a team captain, Burns has set the standard for the Harbaugh-era grit by leading through high-motor effort—highlighted by a famous training camp pursuit that solidified his status as the unit’s vocal leader.

His 2025 campaign was nothing short of historic, as he earned Second-Team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl nod after racking up a career-high 16.5 sacks, which tied for the fourth-most in a single season in franchise history. Beyond just rushing the passer, Burns dominated the stat sheet with 67 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and 31 quarterback hits, proving to be a relentless force that stabilizes the edge while mentoring the younger core of the rebuilding roster.

The ideal replacement for Lawrence

After requesting a trade from the franchise, the G-Men finally reached an agreement with the Cincinnati Bengals to send Dexter Lawrence to the AFC North. The dilemma from that point on would be how to replace one of the best nose tackles in the league.

Far from dwelling on the loss of one of their historic players, the Giants agreed to bring in D.J. Reader to fill that position. Why was this move important? John Harbaugh’s core principle is that his teams be as physical as possible.

Meanwhile, as the first moves from each team begin to take shape, there is excitement in New York about what is coming. New acquisitions such as the aforementioned Reader and Tremaine Edmunds, as well as the selection of young talent like Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa, point to an elite defense that aims to make a statement in the NFC East.

The Carolina Panthers have one of the best pass rushers in the league with Brian Burns, but his future on the team is far from secure. Burns is currently playing under the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, so an extension should probably have been done by now for the fans to not worry about his standout player’s status.

Burns himself provided an update on a potential extension, saying he has decided to put contract negotiations “on hold”. “We haven’t really been in talks. I told them once the season started, I’m all about ball. I can’t give a thousand percent on the field and to my teammates if I’m still worried about contract negotiations.”

For the outside linebacker holding out was a possibility, just like Nick Bosa did before getting a mark-setting contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers. However, he preferred to stay with the team because he sees something special about the defense. Burns then added “My main thought is just football.”

Brian Burns’ Contract

Just because the player decided not to be a bit more vocal about his contract extension, doesn’t mean that he appears to be underpaid this season. Despite being a consistent defender creating pressure on opposing quarterbacks, Burns is set to earn only $16 million in 2023.

The Panthers losing to the Atlanta Falcons in their season opener demonstrated that they still need to grow as a team. However, Burns was impactful, recording two sacks. If he continues his current trajectory for the rest of the year, he should be in line for a megadeal.

Bosa is the highest-paid defender after his recent agreement. His deal for five seasons puts him at the top with an annual average salary of $34 million. Even if Burns is not going to reach that figure, he may end up making nearly twice his current figure.

How Old Is Brian Burns?

Brian Burns is 25 years old.