New York Giants Safety Expects to Return Before End of Season

The New York Giants defense may get some much-needed reinforcements for the stretch run of the season. Safety Xavier McKinney told ESPN's Jordan Raanan he expects to be recovered from his hand injury before the end of the year.

Xavier McKinney (hand) told me he fully expects to be back this season for #Giants. Had said he wasn’t sure when he was asked immediately after accident.

McKinney was placed on injured reserve several weeks back. Can’t be designated for return until at least after Sunday’s game.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) November 29, 2022

McKinney suffered a hand injury in an ATV accident following a Week 8 27-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He had started the first eight games of the season for the Giants, playing 100% of the defensive snaps while totalling 38 tackles and four passes broken up.

The non-football-related nature of the injury meant a stint on the non-football injury list for McKinney. The list serves similar functions as injured reserve. He'll be eligible to return as soon as his hand has sufficiently healed. The bridges he's burned within the Giants organization with his blunder may not be so easily mended.

McKinney initially joined the Giants as their 36th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Injuries kept him to only six appearances in his rookie season, but he emerged as a reliable and play-making starter for the team in 2021, nabbing five interceptions and notching 93 tackles. He'll have the end of this season and the one year remaining on his rookie contract to endear himself back to the organization.