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John Harbaugh tackeled Malik Nabers to help him get ready for Week 1
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers took to the field for the first time since tearing his ACL last year. His head coach John Harbaugh used a personal touch to help him prepare for it.
Malik Nabers tore his ACL last season and was cleared to play heading into the Giants’ season opener against the Dallas Cowboys — but mentally, he wasn’t sure he was ready. Nabers was so unsure of himself, in fact, that he told his family not to come to the game in case he decided to sit out.
In order to get him over that fear, Giants head coach John Harbaugh used quite a personal touch.
John Harbaugh tackled wide receiver Malik Nabers during pregame walkthroughs to help him get over his mental block about taking hits in his return from a torn ACL
According to Giants QB Jaxon Dart, Harbaugh simply tackled Nabers during pregame walkthroughs to help him get over his mental block about his ACL.
Dart recounted the moment at the postgame podium, describing Harbaugh’s intent as building Nabers’ confidence right before kickoff through the most literal possible intervention.
John Harbaugh tackled Malik Nabers during walkthroughs to remove any fear he would have of being hit
Jaxson Dart tells the story pic.twitter.com/j8pbAlLsHz
— SNY Giants (@SNYGiants) September 14, 2026
In the Giants’ win over the Cowboys, Nabers recorded six catches for 69 yards and generally looked like the same explosive player he was prior to the injury.
Nabers and the New York Giants will remain featured in primetime next week when they take on the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football.