Malik Nabers' Injury Status Updated by Giants' John Harbaugh Ahead of 2026 NFL Season

Malik Nabers could take an important step this week in his recovery from the torn ACL he suffered during the 2025 campaign.

New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh told reporters Sunday the wide receiver could shed his no-contact jersey he's been practicing with as soon as this week.

"That's a possibility," Harbaugh said. "We'll just have to see where he's at."

While the Giants don't take the field for the regular season until Sept. 13 when they face the rival Dallas Cowboys, they surely want their star receiver to have some practice time without the no-contact jersey before Week 1.

Nabers himself wouldn't commit to playing in Week 1 when he discussed how difficult the recovery process has been and instead took a long-term approach with his health:

"The most important thing is my health," Nabers said Monday. "The most important thing is just completing every milestone that they have in front of me, giving good effort, continuing to come out here and be a great teammate to my teammates."

At just 23 years old, a long-term approach is the correct one. 

The Giants may be a year or two away from being legitimate contenders in the NFC East, and Nabers figures to be a major part of it as one of the best young receivers in the league. He posted 109 catches for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns as a Pro Bowler in his rookie season in 2024 and was primed to build on that in his second season.

However, the torn ACL limited him to just four games in 2025 and has kept his health under the spotlight heading into the 2026 campaign.

Shedding the no-contact jersey would be a key step back to make sure he can deal with tackles in the open field, and it seems like Giants fans won't have to wait long to see that happen.