On Sunday, Giants cornerback Terrell Thomas and Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis will both be on the same field — two NFL players who returned from three torn ACLs each.
There are no records kept for that, but Thomas said: “There’s nobody else that’s ever done it in the NFL. [Davis] was the first person. I was the second. That’s a fact.”
Thomas is in regular contact with Davis, and was planning to reach out to him on Friday.
“It’s going to be a great feeling,” Thomas said of the two thrice-recovered players being on the same field. “[Davis] is a good friend of mine. We’ve talked throughout the whole process. It’s the first thing he said — ‘Let’s be the first to ever do it.’ That really pushed me and motivated me.”
For Thomas, the main way Davis helped him was simply because nobody else really could.
“Just being able to relate,” Thomas said, “knowing exactly what I was going through emotionally, financially, physically. Everything. He knew exactly what I was going through. My mom didn’t understand. Nobody did. But he did. Anything he said, I held onto.”
Thomas will be playing in his third game since returning from back-to-back missed seasons due to the ACL. The 28-year-old has recorded 12 tackles and two passes defended so far this season.
“Naturally [there’s still rust]. But I see progress too,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “I thought he played hard last week. It wasn’t perfect, but he played hard. He’ll tackle. He’ll come and hit you. Little by little.”
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When Coughlin was asked what the team has done to help him after the death of his brother this week, the coach did not want to get into it. “Let’s not go there, please,” he said. “Everybody’s working hard to get to where we want to be.”
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WR Hakeem Nicks was excused from Friday’s practice for personal reasons but will play on Sunday. … For the Giants, T David Diehl (thumb) and TE Adrien Robinson (foot) are both out. CB Corey Webster (hip) is doubtful, and QB Ryan Nassib (ankle) and G Brandon Mosley (back) are probable. The Panthers are missing CBs Josh Thomas and D.J. Moore, S Quinton Mikell and RB Kenjon Barner, while CB James Dockery and DT Dwan Edwards are questionable.