Wednesday was a big day for Giants receiver Sterling Shepard, who passed his physical and returned to the practice field a little over eight months after tearing his Achilles last December against the Cowboys.
“Felt great just being back on the field. I mean, it's a blessing,” Shepard said. Especially when you go through an injury like that, and you've been on the sidelines for so long watching those guys get after it, you got to take every day and cherish them, because you never know when you have to sit out that long. So, I was just blessed to be out there and happy to be out there with my guys.
And, his teammates were happy to see him, with no rookie hazing as it were.
They didn't give me a hard time. It was just a lot of guys just dapping me up and telling me that they're happy to see me back out there, which felt really good,” Shepard said. “I’m going to do my best to stay out there with my guys. I love the game, and I love being around them. That's one of my favorite things in the world besides my kids and my family: being out here playing with those guys. So, I'm just going to cherish every day.”
Shepard watched as the Giants went through offseason events, minicamps, OTAs, and the first few weeks of training camp, and when he was finally able to return, he said he burned his red non-contact jersey, which “I don’t ever want to see again.”
But never in that eight months of rehab did he ever doubt he’d be back on the field before the Giants officially opened the 2022 season.
“That’s always been the timeline, and I had to work my tail off. They told me that if that was going to be the case, then I'd have to put in overtime and do a lot to get back,” Shepard said. “Just dedicated to the process; it was as a long road. But it felt great to be back there like I said.”
But will he be ready to play when the Giants head to Nashville to face the Titans on Sept. 11?
“I'm just listening to the guys, whatever they tell me to do, and wherever they see me progressing, that's what I'm going to go with. I'll listen to the trainers, they know best,” Shepard said. “(For Week 1), I’m not sure, but that’s what I’m pushing for. That's what I've worked my tail off for, so I'm hoping that's the case. I just have to keep doing my thing day-by-day, and we'll see what happens.”
Shepard had a “tough” first practice, as it was a full-pad practice and thus the first time he had pads on since December, but he’s working up his conditioning and taking things day-by-day, trusting his instincts in a game he’s played his whole life.
What makes it even more difficult is that he’s also learning a new offense, and while he’s the most familiar with Daniel Jones in terms of chemistry, they haven’t been able to work together, but Shepard is certain it “shouldn’t take us long to get back in track pretty easy.”
As for the offense itself, well, triple motion ain’t as easy as it used to be.
“That was like (running) suicides. I'm not going to lie. I was tired today,” Shepard laughed. “It was tough today, but we got through it. I'm looking forward to tomorrow.”
And he’ll look forward to the next day and the day after that, as he tries to show the Giants and their fans that he is back as the same receiver he always was, as he navigates a post-injury season that is the final year of his re-structured contract.
“I think every player wants to be healthy. It's a very violent game that we play, and you can do everything in your power to take care of your body. And sometimes, things just happen,” he said. “But yeah, I'm going to do everything in my power to take care of my body and be out there for my guys.
And when I'm out there, I always give it all I got. I play with a lot of passion and a lot of heart, so I'm going to continue to do that. I'm not going to change my style of play just to try to stay safe.”
Shepard is confident the freedom of the new offense suits him well, as long as he can do his part, and whatever happens next winter? He’ll worry about that next winter.
“I'm not really worried about what's going to happen in the future. Just trying to stay present and focus on the season,” he said. “That's my number one focus, getting this team on the right track. It's been a while since I won games, so my number one goal is to get this team and to get this franchise back to where we're supposed to be.”
All in all, he’s just happy he got even this chance after a winter that could’ve seen a new Giants regime simply cut ties with him altogether.
“In this line of work, nothing is promised. So, it was a little nerve-wrecking (last offseason), you have to think about your family and what you're going to do with them, but I'm a big believer in God, and whatever he has in store for me is what I'm meant to go through,” Shepard said. “I just put my trust in him, and I'm happy to be here. I love this place. I love everybody in this building. I've been here for seven years now and it's been a blessing just being here. You hear stories about other places around the league, and there's no place like here. And this is where I wanted to be. This is where I want my family to be, and I'm glad we could make it work.”
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