The Jason Pierre-Paul saga grows more convoluted by the day. His hand injury stemming from a July 4th fireworks incident is reportedly worse than the Giants feared. Not to mention, JPP’s unsigned franchise tag still hovers over the Giants like a sad rain cloud. Dreariness has come to be expected from Pierre-Paul’s situation. The 12 1/2 sacks he registered during his 2014 campaign seems like a distant memory. With a dismembered right index finger and a slightly shaven right thumb, it’s difficult to imagine JPP returning to his peak form. However, the vaunted edge rusher seems hell bent on proving the doubters wrong through perseverance and savvy social media jabs.
I can't think of the last time my index finger got me a sack 😉
— Jason Pierre-Paul (@UDWJPP) September 17, 2015
Lineman on both the offensive and defensive side have been known to play with a club to protect an injured hand. The club, a bulky bandage that envelopes the entire hand, is thought to be a temporary reprieve allowing a player to stay on the field while healing. Defensive lineman need their hands to position themselves once they engage with offensive lineman. More importantly, with only one hand, JPP can only play on one side of the defensive line with a hand on the ground. That’s evident in the Instagram video he posted of himself pulling a sled out of a three-point stance.
https://instagram.com/p/7q-B2Sj2P1/
JPP may not need his index finger to sack the quarterback, but he does need it to get to him in the first place.
