Sources - Initial tests reveal serious knee injury to New York Giants WR Sterling Shepard

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — New York Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard suffered what is believed to be a serious left knee injury, multiple sources told ESPN, after Shepard underwent initial tests following Monday night's game.

The injury occurred in the final minute of New York's 23-16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. A final diagnosis will come Tuesday morning, when Shepard undergoes more tests, but the fear is that his season is over.

Shepard, who was cleared to practice late this summer after tearing his right Achilles last December, leads the Giants with 154 yards receiving yards through three games. He's also played the most snaps (157) of all the team's receivers.

«It's tough. It's a tough sport,» coach Brian Daboll said. «Guys work their butts off to get back from injuries. This is something, if he's out for the whole season, which we'll probably know [Tuesday] morning… you hurt for those guys because you watch them in the rehab room, you watch them in the offseason. It's just a shame.»

Shepard, 29, had been shouldering a big workload early this season. He was given a maintenance day on Wednesday as a result.

The injury occurred when he was simply jogging near the right sideline in the final minutes of Monday night's loss. He limped onto the cart and players from both teams came over to offer words of encouragement.

«It's tough. I'm not even going to lie. It's hard not to get choked up about it,» Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton said of seeing the injury. «He's been here since the first day I got drafted. He's done a lot for me as a young guy. And then seeing him come off the Achilles last year and rehab all year, and how hard he fought to get back out there, it's definitely hard to see.»

The play resulted in a