Nabers pushes back against concert criticism, says he is “ready to go”
Malik Nabers is ready to get back to playing football.
After missing two games with a concussion, the New York Giants star rookie wide receiver will return to action on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
No more dealing with the throbbing in his head. No more watching his teammates and not being able to try to help. No more questions — until the next time he steps out when social media ‘experts’ think he shouldn’t — about his social activity. No more questions about his groin, which had him on Thursday’s injury report.
“I’m ready to go,” Nabers said on Friday, the first time he has spoken to media since suffering the concussion Sept. 26 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Nabers was, of course, asked about the reaction to attending a Travis Scott concert at MetLife Stadium last week while he was still in the league’s concussion protocol and unable to play.
“That’s my business,” Nabers said. “What I do outside this facility has nothing to do with what the media thinks or whatever they got going on, so that’s my business. So, I’m going to keep that in the house.”
Nabers pushed back against those who theorized that he risked setting his recovery back due to the bright lights and pounding noise from the concert.
“If they research about what caused the concussion, what makes it worse on the Internet, if they say it’s the lights, hearing, then that’s on them,” Nabers said. “I didn’t face anything with the lights. They [the Giants medical staff] asked me if I had a problem with the lights. I told them no. Having problems with the sound, I told them no.
“So, [safety/inside linebacker] Isaiah [Simmons] asked me any kind of questions that I needed, if my head was going to be hurting while it was going to be loud, the lights, and I said no. I said I’ve been playing loud music since after the concussion in the car. I go out with the lights on. I play the game with lights. So, I didn’t have anything with lights. It wasn’t making my head hurt. The sound wasn’t making my head hurt, so I was fine.”
Nabers understands the spotlight that he is under, on and off the field.
“I’m going to always be myself. That’s the life that I chose to live. That’s what comes with the job,” Nabers said. “But at the end of the day, I still got my own life. I still got my own personal life. So, I’m going to continue to have my own personal life. I’m going to still continue to watch my back wherever I go, but I’m going to still continue to have my personal life.”
No Guardian Cap necessary
Nabers has the option of wearing a Guardian Cap over his helmet, but won’t. Unless he switches back to his original helmet.
“I don’t know. I switched my helmet, so I’m not really sure I need to wear the Guardian Cap because I got a new helmet,” Nabers said. “But if I switch to my other helmet, then it’ll probably be safer for me, too. But that’s the decision I made.”
Nabers did not give details on the helmet he will wear, but said it’s one the Giants had wanted him to wear. Having never had a concussion before, he resisted.
“They just insisted that this helmet would protect my head better,” Nabers said. “They insisted it before the season, but I like the helmet that I was wearing before. So, it’s just making precautions for when I’m out there now.”
Nabers doesn’t remember the play that caused the concussion.
“Last thing I remember was (quarterback Daniel Jones) D.J. throwing me the ball,” he said. “That was it.”
Back in action
Nabers said it’s “pretty tough” having to watch the games.
“Watching plays being made, not being out there to compete. It hurts,” he said.
Of the groin injury that was mentioned on this week’s injury report, Nabers said it is something he has dealt with since college.
“I’ve been dealing with it for so long, so it’s just becoming a normal thing,” he said.
Nabers knows his presence changes the offense.
“Just to get that player back out there. I’m a focal point when I’m out there. The defense makes different calls when I’m out there,” he said. “So, not having me, it made it a little bit harder for those guys. So, just having me out there, just the presence that I’m out there, knowing the defense knows I can make plays, it helps other guys make plays also.”
