Following an MRI on Monday, it has now been confirmed per sources to ESPN’s Adam Schefter that star wide receiver for the New York Giants, Malik Nabers has torn his right ACL. This news is devastating to Giants fans and the organization after seeing Nabers instantly grasp his right knee after trying to haul in a deep pass from rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart in their 21-18 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday afternoon. Nabers was eventually carted off the field, looking solemn, but was able to wave to fans after exiting what will be his final game of the 2025 NFL season.
How Malik Nabers got hurt: pic.twitter.com/XkQWqb7L8G
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 28, 2025
Malik Nabers has made a huge impact since being drafted sixth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, setting a franchise-record in his rookie season hauling in 109 passes for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns. Through the first three games of this season, Nabers had 16 catches for 251 yards and two touchdowns. Nabers now has 127 career receptions through his first 19 games of his career, the second most all-time behind former Giants stand out receiver Odell Beckham Jr who had 141 in his first 20 career games.
Prior to his knee injury, Malik Nabers had 127 catches in his first two NFL seasons, second most catches by any player in his first 20 games behind only Odell Beckham Jr., who had 141. https://t.co/rVX4pkaKQt
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 29, 2025
With Nabers now being out for the season, the Giants will quickly need to discover who their premier pass catcher will be moving forward. The likely candidate to take over as WR1 should be Wan’Dale Robinson, the 2022 second round pick out of Kentucky who has 18 catches for 237 yards and a touchdown through four games this season. Robinson plays a lot in the slot for New York, a familiar name in Darius Slayton should see his role expand in the Giants offense. Slayton has only 9 catches for 135 yards this season but with this major loss, Slayton will need to step up if the Giants want to continue to have chances to win football games.
For Malik Nabers it sounds like he will most likely need surgery to repair his right ACL and the road to recovery will most likely find him out until the start of next season. Even though the Giants handed the LA Chargers their first loss of the season, without their star wide receiver it will only get harder for Jaxson Dart and head coach Brian Daboll’s chance of keeping his job for the entirety of this NFL season.
