Former New York Giants special teams captain, Nate Ebner, could return to the to team very soon if all goes we’ll with his rehab from offseason surgery.
Head coach Joe Judge said on Monday that Ebner, who had hoped to be part of the USA Olympic Rugby team in this year’s games but withdrew due to injury, was rehabbing at home and was in contact with the Giants’ medical staff. He is currently a free agent.
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“Nate’s continuing his rehab right now at home. He’s been in touch with our medical team regularly,” Judge told reporters. “I’m not going to go fully into his deal, but I will say this, Nate obviously was competing for a spot on the Olympic team. The nature of Nate is, he doesn’t know how to slow down, so there was a point where he was kind of pushing and pushing his body and he had to make a decision at one point.
“He could talk more directly about it, but obviously he had to step away from the Olympics and kind of focus more on the football season and he’s at a point right now where he had to kind of step back and refocus on the rehab process instead of worrying about going to Tokyo with the competition. I know he’s working hard. That’s the way Nate is and how he’s wired. We’re looking forward to getting him and as soon as we get a chance to get him back, I’m anxious to see him back.”
Ebner signed with the Giants last March on a one-year deal and led all Giants players with 332 special teams snaps (80.58%). He was also used on defense as a fill-in at defensive back and linebacker.
Ebner and Judge’s relationship goes back years to their days with the New England Patriots. The 32-year-old former sixth-round draft pick out of Ohio State in 2012 played his first eight seasons in New England, winning three Super Bowls.
Judge was a special teams assistant and eventually the coordinator for the Patriots from 2012-19. Ebner was one of his key contributors during that period.
When asked about Ebner’s status in June, Coordinator Thomas McGaughey spoke as if there were plans to bring him back at some point.
“To be honest with you because he’s not on roster right now, I’m really not going to comment on it. But you know, any time you get a veteran guy that can help you, that’s a plus, especially a guy like Nate,” he said.
When Ebner returns to health is up in the air, but when he does, expect him to return to the Giants.
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