Mathias Kiwanuka’s Season Over; New York Giants Sign Will Blackmon

Mathias Kiwanuka’s Season Over: The Giants have placed DE Mathias Kiwanuka on Injured Reserve, thus ending his 2010 NFL season. Kiwanuka has missed the last four games with a herniated cervical disc in his neck. He had sought the opinion of five different medical specialists before this decision was made.

“It’s painful for us to go this route with Kiwi, but we’ve exhausted all of our options,” said General Manager Jerry Reese. “What’s most important is for him to get healthy. We’re praying and hopeful that by next fall he will be back at 100 percent and playing for the New York Giants.”

“We held out hope as long as we could,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin. “Finally, by consensus, the doctors came to this decision. You have to make the right choice and the decision was made that he could not play again this season. My concern is for Mathias. He loves the game, he loves to play, he’s proven his versatility this year beyond any question. He’s given great effort and he has proven that he is a team player. I feel badly for Mathias because I know how important playing the game of football is to him. Let’s get him healthy, back on the field, playing for the New York Giants.”

“Like I said before, I felt like, given enough time, I could’ve made it back this season, but it’s the nature of the business,” Kiwanuka said. “The Giants had to move on, and I had to be okay with it. Regardless of what happens to me as an individual, I’m definitely still going to work with the Giants organization throughout the term of my contract. I know this team is going be successful, so I’m excited to watch it.”

If there is a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, given the fact that Kiwanuka’s contract expires after this season, Kiwanuka may have played his last game with the Giants.

Kiwanuka said he hopes to avoid surgery on the neck. “I want to avoid surgery,” said Kiwanuka. “The consensus is that if I take the proper amount of time off, there is a very good chance that it’ll heal on its own. That’s what the goal is right now. If it doesn’t happen, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. Regardless of whether or not it requires surgery, I’ll still be back by the opening of training camp.”

New York Giants Sign Will Blackmon: The Giants have signed CB/Returner Will Blackmon. Blackmon was waived off of the Packers’ Injured Reserve in September. He tore a knee ligament early in the 2009 season.

“Blackmon had a very good workout for us and showed that he has recovered nicely from a serious knee injury,” General Manager Jerry Reese said. “We expect him to get into the mix quickly on special teams. He has experience and production as a return specialist and cover specialist. He also has played both safety and corner, which gives us some flexibility there as well.”

“He has return experience and secondary experience,” Head Coach Tom Coughlin said. “He’s a veteran coming back off a (knee) injury. He’s been an outstanding returner in this league, and he’s been a contributor on special teams as well as on defense.”

“It’s awesome,” Blackmon said of joining the Giants. “I was hoping I could finally get back on the field and make things happen. This opportunity opened up and I’m excited and my wife is excited. My knee is doing very well. I wouldn’t be out there if I couldn’t perform. I wasn’t going to come here and give the Giants 80 percent of me. I’m feeling good.”

Ironically, DE Mathias Kiwanuka roomed with Blackmon at Boston College and it is Kiwanuka’s roster spot that Blackmon is taking. “I was excited and heard there was a chance that he might come here, so I’ve been talking him up around the locker room,” said Kiwanuka. “Man, he’s a great player. I told everybody he’s definitely the most talented and gifted athlete that I ever played football with, hands down. He made the switch from DB to wide receiver and didn’t miss a beat, and obviously he is a very talented return guy, too. He can do it all.”

Article on the Giants’ Defense: The Big Blue Wrecking Crew? by Aditi Kinkhabwala of The Wall Street Journal