New York Giants offensive lineman Nick Gates suffered an ugly leg fracture in a 30-29 loss to the Washington Football Team last Thursday night, and remains hospitalized in D.C.
Gates underwent surgery early on Friday morning to repair a broken tibia and fibula. Initial reports suggested that although season-ending, the breaks weren’t considered as bad as Rich Seubert’s from so many years ago.
Also told the Gates injury is not as bad as the ugly Rich Seubert spiral fracture in 2003, which (sadly? luckily?) remains the benchmark for shattered legs in Giants offensive line history. It was a long road but Seubert came back from his injuries. Expectation similar for Gates.
— Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) September 17, 2021
Unfortunately, Giants head coach Joe Judge revealed on Thursday that not only are Gates’ injuries severe, they are possibly career-ending.
More Joe Judge on Nick Gates: “We’re confident he’ll be able to come back, but yes, it could be career-ending.”
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RVacchianoSNY) September 23, 2021
Is Joe Judge worried that Nick Gates’ injury could be career-threatening? “I’d be lying if I said no.”
— Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) September 23, 2021
Gates is expected to undergo additional surgeries in the coming days, but when he returns to the New York-New Jersey area, Judge wants him to remain as involved with the team as possible.
“I think everybody in here hurts for Nick. Everyone knows how hard he works, everyone knows his journey, his road of getting here, what he’s had to overcome. No one wants to see Nick lose an opportunity. We’re all thinking long-term right now for Nick. He won’t play this season obviously, but we’re all thinking long-term for Nick and what’s best for him individually. We’re going to do everything we can as an organization and as a team to support him and help him along the way,” Judge told reporters this week.
The 25-year-old undrafted-free-agent-turned-starter was voted an offensive captain over the summer. Gates said the honor “gave him chills.”
“I mean, right now I’m getting the chills. It’s an honor just to be a captain, especially for this great organization the Giants have. Just the people that have come before me that are captains, just to be able to be a part of that legacy, it’s awesome. I’m really excited and really honored,” Gates said in early September.
Days after Gates’ injury, our friends over at Talkin’ Giants called for Twitter users to make “Nick Gates vs. the World” trend. It did. And then some.
Although Judge admits Gates’ injuries could be career-ending, he and the Giants remain hopeful that like Seubert before him, Gates will return to the team and make a long-term impact.