Giants TE Johnson watches Knicks but out finale
Jordan RaananJan 3, 2026, 10:01 AM ET Close Jordan Raanan covers the New York Giants for ESPN and can be heard hosting on ESPN Radio. Raanan joined ESPN in 2016. New York Giants starting tight end Theo Johnson, who attended a Knicks game Friday night at Madison Square Garden despite not practicing all week with…
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Jordan Raanan
New York Giants starting tight end Theo Johnson, who attended a Knicks game Friday night at Madison Square Garden despite not practicing all week with a noncontagious illness, will not play in Sunday’s season finale against the Dallas Cowboys.
The second-year tight end was shown on the scoreboard sitting courtside during the game, smiling and waving to the camera. He later reposted a picture taken and posted on social media by a New York Post reporter and responded, “I am not sick.”
The Giants said that Johnson is dealing with a noncontagious infection, not the flu or COVID-19, where being around other people would not be a risk. Therefore the infection is an illness and why he was ruled out of Sunday’s game.
“So he’s just got still this little bit of a sickness and this infection that we’re just working through,” interim coach Mike Kafka said Thursday. “So he’s just kind of trying to clean it up. See where it goes.”
Johnson returned to the Giants (3-13) facility this week after missing last week’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders. He is one of several players and coaches who have been dealing with illness this week.
Outside linebacker Abdul Carter, defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence II and wide receiver Jalin Hyatt also missed practice because of illnesses. Hyatt is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Cowboys. Carter and Lawrence weren’t given an injury designation. Johnson was the only one ruled out.
Johnson is second on the team with 45 catches for 548 yards receiving this season. He leads the Giants with five receiving touchdowns.
