The Giants just can’t seem to catch a break with injuries this season. Now things aren’t looking good for rookie tight end Daniel Bellinger, who had been carted off the field during Sunday’s win over Jacksonville with a bloody face.
It now appears that Bellinger suffered a fracture around his eye socket and septum, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. During his virtual availability on Monday, head coach Brian Daboll said that it was “probably too early to say” if Bellinger would be able to return this season, but that the organization was hopeful.
Daboll did add that Bellinger is likely going to need surgery, which had been reported earlier in the day by Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
That is at least a silver lining for the Giants, whose receiving options have been limited this season for various reasons. Bellinger had begun to develop into a quality option for New York this year, with 16 receptions for 152 yards and he’s been averaging 9.5 yards per reception.
Bellinger had five catches for 38 yards and a touchdown in the Giants’ win over the Ravens in Week 6 and he had one catch for 13 yards in Jacksonville. The end of that play was when Bellinger was injured on Sunday.
The tight end was poked in the eye at the end of the catch by cornerback Tre Herndon and had to be carted off the field with a minute left in the first quarter. Bellinger was taken to a local hospital, but he was able to return to the stadium after getting checked out and flew back with the team.
He had been slated to see an ophthalmologist on Monday.
“He looked like he took a pretty good hook shot there. It’s pretty swollen,” Giants coach Brian Daboll had said on Sunday.
Bellinger was one of several injuries that occurred during Sunday’s win that moved the Giants to 6-1 on the season. Starting left guard Ben Bredeson and starting right tackle Evan Neal both left the game in the first half with knee injuries.
