Giants officials unable to visit Jason Pierre-Paul in hospital
New York Giants officials have come and gone from South Florida without getting the chance to visit injured defensive endJason Pierre-Paul, sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Pierre-Paul suffered injuries to both of his hands, including severe burns and possible nerve damage, in an accident involving fireworks, sources told ESPN on Sunday.
Although the injuries are not believed to be career-threatening, Giants officials traveled to Florida to visit Pierre-Paul in the hospital but never made it out of the waiting room to see him.
The Giants did not ask Pierre-Paul whether they could visit him in the hospital. Team officials flew down on their own to check on him and try to determine how extensive his hand injuries were, but those officials were not welcomed once they arrived.
Pierre-Paul is technically not under contract with the team as he has not yet signed his one-year franchise tender. The deadline for franchised players to agree to long-term contracts is July 15. If a deal can't be reached by that date, Pierre-Paul would have to play under his $14.8 million tender, unless the Giants decide to withdraw it.
Meanwhile, police in Coral Springs, Florida, are no longer investigating Pierre-Paul after determining his fireworks incident did not take place in their jurisdiction.
Although Coral Springs police will not pursue an investigation, Pierre-Paul still could face legal trouble from another jurisdiction in Florida, where fireworks other than those in the sparklers category are illegal without a permit.
The injuries stemming from the incident could affect Pierre-Paul's future with the Giants after the pass-rusher enjoyed one of his best seasons as a pro in 2014. The Giants used the franchise tag on the two-time Pro Bowler.
There is concern that Pierre-Paul's hand injury could force him to miss training camp and the start of the regular season, one team source told ESPN on Monday, but the Giants are still awaiting more medical answers.
