New York Giants teammates respond to Saquon Barkley’s injury

The New York Giants fear Saquon Barkley tore his ACL during Sunday’s Week 2 loss. What did his teammates have to say on the matter?

It may have only took less than two games for the 2020 campaign to become a lost season for Saquon Barkley. On Sunday, the star New York Giants running back went down with a knee injury during the second quarter of the team’s 17-13 loss to Chicago. He left the game, and according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the initial diagnosis suggested a torn ACL for the third-year player.

This will obviously alter the state of the team’s offense, given the versatility and talent Barkley brings to the field, and after the loss, teammates expressed their emotions in regard to the situation.

“Your heart stops for a minute,” cornerback James Bradberry said, per Tom Rock of Newsday.

Dion Lewis additionally spoke on the matter after replacing Barkley for the rest of the contest. With Wayne Gallman a healthy scratch, Lewis and Elijhaa Penny were the only two running backs remaining when Barkley went to the locker room. Penny, however, is more of a fullback.

“I just told him to keep his head up, stay positive, believe in God,” Lewis said, also per Rock. “He’s a great kid. We’ve grown extremely close since I’ve been here so I definitely feel for him.”

Lewis ended up scoring Big Blue’s only touchdown, crossing the plane on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter.

The expectation is that Barkley will be out for the remainder of the year, a devastating blow to a Giants team looking to bounce back from a four-win 2019 campaign. As far as potential reinforcements are concerned, New York will reportedly work out free-agent running back Devonta Freeman this week.