When David Wilson walked through the door, Tom Coughlin was already in his office and noticed there was a smile on Wilson’s face.
How could that possibly be? Wilson received news no 23-year-old should have to hear on Monday and yet Wilson would not, Coughlin said, be pulled down into “a state of melancholy’’ — and that inspired the soon-to-be 68-year old head coach.
“There’s a lot to be said about his inner strength right now,’’ marveled Coughlin.
Informed he can never play football again, Wilson revealed perspective rare in someone so young.
“I don’t want anybody to feel sorry for me, or pity me,” Wilson said in a statement. “I lived my dream.
“A lot of people only get to dream their dream. I lived that dream. Now I have a chance to dream another dream and live that, too.”
Wilson’s dream of playing in the NFL — one he expressed to his father at 8 years old — was realized, but it was short-lived. It came to an end after two seasons and only 21 games as the worst-case scenario unfolded around him.
He was examined Monday at the Hospital for Special Surgery by Dr. Frank Cammisa, the spine specialist who last January performed a cervical fusion on Wilson. The evaluation was prompted by the neck burner injury he experienced last Tuesday in practice. Along with Dr. Russell Warren, the Giants’ team physician, Wilson was given the news he had braced for but did not want to hear.
“David has diffuse cervical stenosis,’’ Warren said. “He had a disc removed and a fusion in January. In light of last week’s episode of symptoms, sensory and motor, Frank and I both told David he should not play football anymore. We let David know that by playing, he would be putting himself at risk for more episodes like last week or perhaps something more serious. ”
Wilson will be placed on injured reserve, ending his 2014 season. He will be paid his scheduled salary of $997,682, and he could also be eligible to collect half of his 2015 salary of $1.3 million, based on incurring a career-ending injury. When he first injured his neck Oct. 6 against the Eagles, it was learned Wilson has spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal, a condition that greatly influenced this dire outcome.
“I’m thankful that I can literally walk away from the game and that I am healthy and capable of doing the same things I have done all my life, except play football,” Wilson said. “I always try to find the positive in everything. I prayed this morning before I went to see [the doctors] that they would tell me what God would tell me. He put His answer in them to relay to me.”
Wilson, the Giants’ 2012 first-round draft pick out of Virginia Tech, was supposed to be the jet-quick, big-play running back that would provide a major boost to the offense. So he is gone prematurely, finishing his career with 115 rushing attempts for 504 yards and five touchdowns. He played in all 16 games as a rookie and his 1,533 kickoff-return yards led the NFL and set a Giants record. He played in only five games last season and believed he was ready for big things in year No. 3.
After he was told he should not play again, Wilson returned to the Giants’ training complex to meet with co-owner John Mara, general manager Jerry Reese and Coughlin.
“He’s disappointed like all of us, but he’s a strong young man and understands that he has a lot of life left to live and it’s not worth to him, his family or us to put his health in harm’s way by continuing to play football,’’ Reese said.
Following a prolonged rehab from the vertebrae fusion surgery, Wilson reported to training camp July 21 and was cleared for full contact. After looking quick and strong in the first week of camp, the trouble began anew for Wilson last Tuesday, when he was forced out of practice with a neck burner after running into the back of guard Eric Herman.
Wilson has been told his condition does not require any additional surgery.
Reese, knowing Wilson was a medical risk, signed veteran running back Rashad Jennings from the Raiders and selected Andre Williams, the nation’s leading rusher last year at Boston College and a Heisman Trophy finalist, in the fourth round of the draft. Veteran Peyton Hillis was re-signed and second-year player Michael Cox returns. Kendall Gaskins, on the practice squad in 2013, is also on the roster.
With Wilson left behind in New Jersey, the Giants Sunday night unveiled their new offense and the highlight was the versatility shown by Jennings and the natural running ability of Williams.