Tweet
Tight end Jeremy Shockey broke a rib and might miss the New York Giants' last two preseason games.
The second-year pro will play in the Giants' regular-season opener against St. Louis on Sept. 7, coach Jim Fassel said Saturday.
Shockey, a Pro Bowler as a rookie, was injured during a 20-10 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Friday night.
It wasn't clear on which play Shockey was hurt, and after the game Fassel said X-rays were negative. But a small crack was found in later tests.
"He won't play this week, he's sore,'' Fassel said. "My comment to the doctor was what I want to make sure of is we get him back as soon as we can to practice. If it's iffy in the last (preseason) game, I won't play him, because the starters are only going to play a quarter.''
The coach said Shockey would have played next weekend against the New York Jets if it were a regular-season game. The Giants play the Baltimore Ravens in their preseason finale Aug. 28.
The injury is the latest setback for Shockey in a turbulent start to the season that included attention-grabbing interviews with magazines. In one story, he was quoted as criticizing Dallas coach Bill Parcells.
Shockey issued a blanket apology last weekend and hasn't spoken to reporters since.
His 74 catches last season set team records for tight ends and rookies, but he hasn't done much this preseason: two catches for 15 years. Shockey made one catch for 8 yards against the Panthers and dropped two passes on the opening drive.
"I don't know when he'll practice,'' Fassel said. "It could be three, four or five days or six days. With those things, the way they are explained to me now, it's when you can tolerate the pain.''
Backup Marcellus Rivers will move into the starting lineup, with Darnell Dinkins and third-round draft pick Visanthe Shiancoe backing him up.
The second-year pro will play in the Giants' regular-season opener against St. Louis on Sept. 7, coach Jim Fassel said Saturday.
Shockey, a Pro Bowler as a rookie, was injured during a 20-10 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Friday night.
It wasn't clear on which play Shockey was hurt, and after the game Fassel said X-rays were negative. But a small crack was found in later tests.
"He won't play this week, he's sore,'' Fassel said. "My comment to the doctor was what I want to make sure of is we get him back as soon as we can to practice. If it's iffy in the last (preseason) game, I won't play him, because the starters are only going to play a quarter.''
The coach said Shockey would have played next weekend against the New York Jets if it were a regular-season game. The Giants play the Baltimore Ravens in their preseason finale Aug. 28.
The injury is the latest setback for Shockey in a turbulent start to the season that included attention-grabbing interviews with magazines. In one story, he was quoted as criticizing Dallas coach Bill Parcells.
Shockey issued a blanket apology last weekend and hasn't spoken to reporters since.
His 74 catches last season set team records for tight ends and rookies, but he hasn't done much this preseason: two catches for 15 years. Shockey made one catch for 8 yards against the Panthers and dropped two passes on the opening drive.
"I don't know when he'll practice,'' Fassel said. "It could be three, four or five days or six days. With those things, the way they are explained to me now, it's when you can tolerate the pain.''
Backup Marcellus Rivers will move into the starting lineup, with Darnell Dinkins and third-round draft pick Visanthe Shiancoe backing him up.