EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Malik Nabers practiced in full and took contact Wednesday, New York Giants coach John Harbaugh said, four days before the Dallas Cowboys open the season against New York at MetLife Stadium.
Nabers was a full participant in the Giants’ first official practice of the 2026 regular season, and Harbaugh said the team worked in pads. Nabers has spent nearly a year rehabilitating the torn ACL and meniscus he sustained in Week 4 last season.
Harbaugh spoke Wednesday after practice.
“I think he’s ready to go, man. We’ll see, though,” Harbaugh said. “It’s still four days until we play. So if he’s ready to go and he feels like he’s ready to go, then he’ll play. If he’s not and he’s not ready, then he won’t play.”
Harbaugh did not commit to playing Nabers on Sunday. Art Stapleton of USA Today reported that the coach was withholding a decision in part for competitive reasons, with the Cowboys still four days from kickoff.
Nabers left the practice field before the session ended, prompting a round of speculation that Harbaugh knocked down shortly afterward. Harbaugh told Dan Duggan of The Athletic that post-practice medical checks turned up no concerns with the knee.
Malik Nabers Nears the End Of A Long Rehabilitation
Nabers tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee on Sept. 28, 2025, going down on his 25th snap of a Week 4 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. He underwent two operations, the first to reconstruct the ligament and repair the meniscus and a second to remove scar tissue that had left the knee stiff. Nabers finished the season with 271 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns in 4 games.
Throughout training camp, Nabers avoided the physically unable to perform list, returned to team drills by mid-August, and shed his red non-contact jersey last week. He did not appear in any of the Giants’ three preseason games.
On Monday, the Giants released veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton. Big Blue View wrote that the timing of the move pointed toward the team expecting Nabers to play.
Nabers himself has declined to say whether he will play. “I feel pretty good. I feel real good to be honest,” Nabers said last week. Nabers said he would keep the remaining checkpoints in his recovery in-house.
Dallas Cowboys Open Under A New Defensive Coordinator
Christian Parker will call his first game as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator on Sunday. Dallas has overhauled the defense since last season and no longer has cornerback Trevon Diggs, who was waived in Week 17 and signed with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason.
The Cowboys and Giants split their two meetings last season. Dallas won 40-37 in overtime at AT&T Stadium in Week 2, and New York won 34-17 at MetLife Stadium in the regular-season finale behind 262 total yards and 2 passing touchdowns from quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. CT Sunday on NBC.
