- Winless Giants declared Beckham done for the season on Monday
- Beckham Jr caught the ball – then the Chargers’ Casey Howard caught him
- The receiver landed awkwardly underneath Howard, fracturing his ankle
- Beckham Jr was the fourth receiver lost in the game, which the Giants lost 27-22
- Brandon Marshall, Sterling Shepard and Dwayne Harris were all taken off
Two of the NFL’s biggest stars, Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt and New York Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr. saw their respective seasons come to an end on Sunday.
The Giants announced Monday that Beckham’s fractured left ankle would require season-ending surgery this week, while the Texans declared Watt out for the year with a tibial plateau fracture in his left leg. Watt played in only three games in 2016 before his second back surgery ended his season.
‘I spoke to [Beckham] after the game,’ Giants coach Ben McAdoo said Monday during a conference call with reporters. ‘It’s a sad situation.’
Fallen giant: Odell Beckham Jr is seen here being taken off the field after a late-game fractured ankle. He was the fourth receiver to be taken off the field in Sunday’s disastrous game
Painful: Beckham Jr can be seen here getting his ankle caught in the legs of Casey Howard. Giants receivers Brandon Marshall, Sterling Shepard and Dwayne Harris were also taken off
Things briefly looked promising for the Giants, who led 22-20 with about four minutes left on Sunday. That all changed when Beckham attempted to make a catch across the middle of the field while being defended by Chargers cornerback Casey Howard.
Beckham Jr. landed awkwardly underneath Howard and snapped his ankle, leaving his team – already short-staffed after losing three other receivers earlier in the game – to suffer its fifth straight defeat. Giants wideouts Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard both hurt their ankles in the second quarter and Dwayne Harris fractured his foot in the third.
Captain Eli Manning could be seen grimacing as Beckham Jr, crying through the agony, was carted off the field.
With Beckham Jr out, Manning then fumbled the ball in Giants territory, which ultimately led to Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers’ game-winning pass to Melvin Gordon with less than three minutes to play.
Prior to his injury, Beckham had five catches for 97 yards and a touchdown.
The 0-5 Giants also saw defensive captain Jonathan Casillas and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie suffer injuries on Sunday.
Agony: Eli Manning (second from left) looks furious as Beckham Jr (right) is taken away. The Giants lost the game 27-22 after their star player was taken for ankle surgery