New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers will miss the rest of the NFL season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sustained against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

2024 Pro Bowl selection Nabers went to ground clutching his right leg during the first half of his side’s 21-18 win at the MetLife Stadium, with ESPN saying an MRI has shown a serious knee injury.

“My heart goes out to that kid,” Giants linebacker Brian Burns said in his post-match remarks. “I didn’t think it was going to be that serious.

“I’ve seen the hard work he’s put in. He was banking on his goals for this season. He could be back and better than ever. I believe in him, but it’s tough.”

“Prayers to him… He’s going to be one of my first phone calls to check on him”

Jaxson Dart on Malik Nabers: pic.twitter.com/wqN07iIR37

— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) September 28, 2025

Malik Nabers ACL injury

Speaking shortly after the game, Giants coach Brian Daboll said he was “certainly not happy” to potentially lose Nabers, adding that he felt “terrible” for the 22-year-old.

“I don’t think we know exactly what happened,” said rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. “He’s going to be one of my first phone calls to check on him.”

Jalin Hyatt took 26 snaps following Nabers’ departure, while wide receiver Darius Slayton is likely to now be key for the Giants.

“I just told him I was praying for him,” Slayton said of Nabers. “We got his back. He didn’t say too much.

“He was pretty sad. We will uplift him and keep him in our prayers.”

Heartbreaking: Kayvon Thibodeaux didn’t find out about Malik Nabers’ feared torn ACL until a reporter told him.

You can just see the pain on his face 😔💔pic.twitter.com/mfuXVZJ5Pt

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 28, 2025

Malik Nabers Giants stats

First-round pick Nabers played in 15 games and made 13 starts in 2024, missing two because of concussion.

The LSU graduate finished with 179 targets and 109 receptions for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns, ranking second in the NFL for targets, with 170, and receptions per game, averaging 7.3.

The Giants completed one of the surprises of the early NFL season by beating the previously undefeated Chargers in the first career start for Dart, who threw for 111 yards and a passing touchdown while running for 54 yards and a ground touchdown.

Daboll’s team are fourth in the NFC East and travel to the New Orleans Saints, who have lost all four of their games, on Sunday (13:00 ET / 10:00 PT / 18:00 BST).