The Giants’ injury nightmare got a lot darker in Sunday’s win over the Titans.
Brian Burns, the team’s star pass rusher, is believed to have suffered a torn ACL after leaving the fourth quarter with a knee injury, according to NFL Network. If that diagnosis holds, his 2026 season is over.
The injury happened with about 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter on a first-and-10 snap. Titans quarterback Cam Ward hit Tony Pollard for a 1-yard gain, and Burns was left on the field in obvious pain after the play.
Burns was already playing through another issue. He had injured his ankle in last Monday’s 28-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, yet still suited up against Tennessee.
The 28-year-old came into this season on the back of a career year, piling up 16.5 sacks for New York last season. Through three games, he had four tackles, four pressures and two quarterback hits.
Now the Giants may have to patch together their pass rush without him. Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Arvell Reese are the names on hand to absorb more of that burden.
Burns’ situation lands on top of another crushing blow for New York. Starting quarterback Jaxson Dart went down with a knee injury against the Rams last week. There was early optimism that it might not be serious, but surgery was eventually required, and Dart has been shut down for the year.
That leaves the Giants without their two most important players, one on each side of the ball. It’s a brutal turn for a team that entered 2026 with John Harbaugh as head coach and plenty of momentum after a Week 1 upset over Dallas.
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Barzal is currently designated as injured non roster because of a left knee injury, a label that keeps him off the active group for now but does not close the door on a fast return. He is eligible to play the same day he is placed on the roster, which is why opening night now feels like the date to watch. For the Islanders, the hope is straightforward: have one of their most important players ready when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Forward Group Sends A Clear Message About Opening Night
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Matthew Barzals status is the other part of the picture, as he is listed as Injured Non-Roster and does not count toward the 23-player limit. There is still no timeline for his return, which leaves the Islanders with a little more uncertainty in the short term even as they head into opening night with their roster set. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Enter The Season With One Debate Fans Cant Ignore
The Islanders wrapped up their preseason with a few final roster calls that helped clarify the shape of the group heading into opening night. Logan Stanley was signed, while Cole Eiserman and Kashawn Aitcheson were assigned to Hamilton, a reminder that the club is still sorting through its depth even as it moves from exhibition mode to the regular season under coach Pete DeBoer.
New York also closed the preseason with a loss to New Jersey, so the focus now shifts to how the lineup pieces fit once the games count. Bo Horvat, Ryan Pulock, Matthew Schaefer, Kyle Palmieri, Alexander Romanov and Semyon Varlamov are all expected to play key roles, but the bigger question around the Islanders remains how the roster settles after those last decisions and what it means for the tone of the season ahead. [Read more 🡒]