Brian Burns believed to have torn ACL in Giants' win — SkimNews
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- Brian Burns is believed to have torn his right ACL in the fourth quarter of the Giants' 12-7 win over the Titans, per sources reporting to ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
- The injury came when former Panthers teammate Austin Schlottmann blocked Burns in the chest, sending him crumpling to the ground before he limped off with the help of teammates and medical staff.
- Burns had entered the game questionable with a low ankle sprain after missing all week of practice and had not missed a game since 2020, a streak now at 71 career sacks over eight seasons.
- Kayvon Thibodeaux will take on a significantly expanded pass-rushing role for a Giants defense that has registered just one sack through its first three games of the season.
- Burns ranked second in the NFL with 16.5 sacks last season (behind only Myles Garrett) and carries a five-year, $150 million contract after arriving from Carolina in 2024 for second- and fifth-round picks.
- The Giants (2-1) are also without rookie QB Jaxson Dart, who underwent surgery Friday to repair the meniscus and MCL in his left knee after a Week 2 injury, leaving New York down what coach John Harbaugh called its most important players on both sides of the ball.
Why it matters: The Giants (2-1) must play their remaining 14 games without both their top edge rusher (Burns) and starting quarterback (Dart), who underwent meniscus and MCL surgery last Friday. Thibodeaux inherits the lead pass-rush role on a defense that has produced just one sack through three games, a production threshold the team has not yet shown the ability to replace from its current roster.
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