New York Giants rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. earned himself a round of jokes from his teammates after needing to be carted off of the practice field for a reported minor ankle injury.
Tracy Jr. got likened to Boston Celtics great Paul Pierce for what his teammates thought to be exaggerated theatrics in response to an ailment that may not have required such attention. Dan Duggan of The Athletic shared the report on X on Tuesday afternoon:
Giants’ Tracy Jr. compared to Paul Pierce’s viral Finals wheelchair moment
Pierce became an internet sensation for the first time in his career for a reason other than his play on the court when he went down with an injury in the 2008 NBA Finals and was taken off the floor in a wheelchair. Initially, it was reported that Pierce had suffered a lower-body injury. The 2008 Finals MVP later admitted that he needed to relieve himself in the bathroom, which added another layer to the infamous moment.
Fast forward to 2024 and the Celtics legend has gone back and forth between it being due to an injury or due to an emergency. All in all, Pierce languishing off the court in need of assistance was called back to remembrance as a result of Tracy Jr.’s incident.
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Tracy Jr. is already back for the Giants after needing a cast on injured leg
Memes and jokes aside, the talented rookie ball-carrier reportedly had a speedy recovery from what looked like an ankle injury that could’ve ended badly. Michael Eisen of Giants.com outlined the Indiana native’s recovery from when he sustained the infirmity to when he returned to the field:
“A week ago, Tracy’s right leg bent awkwardly after he lost his footing in a kickoff return drill. He remained lying on his back as the team’s medical staff rushed onto the field and quickly put an air cast on the injured leg – a development that is usually a precursor to a long absence,” Eisen wrote.
“But Tracy, the running back selected in the fifth round of this year’s NFL Draft, returned to the Quest Training Center later that afternoon wearing a protective boot. The following day, he was walking without both the boot and a limp. Today, he was a full participant in practice.
‘He’s good, he’s fine,’ coach Brian Daboll said.”
It is the hope of the Giants franchise and their fanbase that the Purdue product will be all good to go for Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season at full strength, and that this lives as nothing more than a moment for him and his teammates to look back on and laugh at in the future.
