The comeback kid: A once 'lost' Malik Nabers is back - ESPN

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers had a conversation with his uncle before training camp in 2025. His uncle was asking about his nephew's journey to NFL stardom, when he became a Pro Bowl player while setting a Giants record with 109 receptions during his rookie season.

Nabers, the sixth overall pick out of LSU in 2024, told him how he didn't view his journey as all that hard. In fact, it came relatively easy for the wide receiver while compiling 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns despite playing with four quarterbacks in 2024. Nabers noted there were a lot of other players who had gone through «way harder things.»

Little did he know what was coming.

Fast forward to three months later in Week 4 of the 2025 season against the Los Angeles Chargers, with Nabers lying on the MetLife Stadium turf reaching for his right knee. He had jumped to make a catch deep down the right sideline and knew immediately, in midair, that something was wrong.

The Giants' young playmaker tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee.

This was the test he subconsciously knew was coming even if it was one he hadn't asked for.

On Nov. 1, 2026, Nabers is standing in the middle of the Giants' locker room seemingly fully back after four straight 100-yard receiving games, answering questions about the emotional challenge that came with the serious knee injury that cost him most of last season.

Nabers revealed to ESPN prior to the first-place Giants' matchup Thursday night with the Washington Commanders (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime) details about that private conversation with his uncle that left the wide receiver once upon a time thinking his journey wouldn't be that formidable.

«Kind of… kind of just… and then this happened,»