Football injury list: Giants’ Daniel Fells might lose foot due to MRSA

Giants tight end player Daniel Fells is tackling a tougher opponent off the football field. Having mysteriously contracted Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, doctors are fighting to save his foot.

According to NFL's Ian Rapoport, Fells has been confined in the hospital for over a week. On Friday, he was placed in the hospital's Intensive Care Unit but has been moved to a private room under the watchful eye of a nurse a few days later.

In a recent news report by CBS News, the bacteria are sometimes labeled as a superbug for its resistance to a number of strong antibiotics. The Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is passed on through direct contact or sharing items with an individual infected with the bacteria.

It is still unclear how Fells has contracted the disease. NFL reports indicate that Fells initially suffered injuries around the toe and ankle area for which he was given cortisone.

The sports news site stated that Fells was rushed to the hospital by his wife on Oct. 2 with a 104-degree fever. Only then was it discovered that Fells' ankle had been infected with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

This is not the first time that an MRSA outbreak has been reported in the NFL. According to CBS News, in 2013, three players from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were infected during one of their training camps: Lawrence Tynes, Carl Nicks and Jonathan Banks.

CBS states that out of the three, Tynes has since sued both the NFL and the Buccaneers for $20 million.

A spokesman for the Giants, Pat Hanlon, was quoted by ESPN that he is taking Fells' situation seriously. He has already sought counsel from a number of specialists in infectious diseases.

 "We are working with infectious disease specialists, and we have defined protocols that we are following in consultation with the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network and local infectious disease specialists. Those protocols are being followed carefully," said Hanlon in the report.

To prevent the infection from spreading any further, the NFL reports that the Giants' locker rooms, training and meeting areas have been scrubbed clean and sanitized. All players and staff have also been briefed on what to do and how to prevent contracting the bacteria.

John Jerry, offensive lineman for the Giants, revealed to CBS News that the players were also instructed to report any unusual fever or swelling.

On Twitter, Fells posted this message before the team's game with the 49ers:

"My heart is with my brothers tonight. Get that W G-men."