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The 2021 NFL season will officially get underway Thursday night with the Dallas Cowboys visiting the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The NFL’s season opener will include a handful of Penn State players including Chris Godwin of the Bucs and rookie linebacker Micah Parsons of the Cowboys. But on Sunday, it looks more likely another former Penn State great will be able to take the field as well.
Running back Saquon Barkley is reportedly close to being fully cleared to return to the playing field as the New York Giants approach their season opener on Sunday. This is according to the latest update from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network on Monday morning.
#Giants RB Saquon Barkley is gearing up to play Sunday vs. the #Broncos, and sources say he’s close to being fully cleared to do so following major knee surgery. The team needs to watch him through Thursday to gauge how his body responds to the workload. But he’s close.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 6, 2021
Barkley, of course, is returning from a torn ACL injury suffered early in the 2020 season. Barkley has been working hard on his rehab and he has teased a big return this season, but the Giants have been wise in taking it as cautiously as they can this offseason and preseason.
The Giants face the Denver Broncos (and former Penn State wide receiver KJ Hamler) in Week 1 of the NFL season.
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