Jason Pierre-Paul's Finger Amputated After Fireworks Accident
New York Giants' Jason Pierre-Paul reportedly got injured after a fireworks accident and got his right index finger amputated.
ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted Wednesday a medical chart believed to belong to Pierre-Paul. It stated that Pierre-Paul's right index finger was removed after the NFL was involved in a fireworks accident.
USA Today reports that Pierre-Paul injured his hands while setting off fireworks during the Fourth of July weekend celebration in South Florida.
According to NBC Sports, Pierre-Paul's amputated finger will not really affect his sports performance, seeing as how the player tapes his index and middle fingers together and his ring finger and pinkie as well.
ESPN reports that the amputation would be the best course of action for the player's health and career. Additionally, Pierre-Paul also fractured his right thumb and the additional injuries may need longer time to heal than his amputated finger. The fractures may take around six weeks to heal and the amputation wound would only take about 3 weeks.
According to NFL.com reporter Ian Rapoport, the amputation could be to speed up the player's recovery time. Another tweet by Schefter strengthened the sentiment by his post saying that an unnamed medical source expects Pierre-Paul to play for this season "sooner than people think."
Another report by USA Today notes that Schefter's report and breach in doctor-patient confidentiality could be a violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) law; however, it does not apply to the media, according to PA News Media. HIPPA is intended to protect medical information and the privacy of individuals.
Curiously, the rest of Pierre-Paul's team only reportedly heard of their teammate's condition after it was reported by Schefter. According to Yahoo Sports, Giants trainer Ronnie Barnes and special assistant Jessie Armstead tried to visit Pierre-Paul in the hospital in Florida but were turned away.
Business Insider reports that Pierre-Paul has not signed the $14.8 million franchise tender for the 2015 season, which means the NFL player is a free agent and is not under any obligation to tell them of his injury or accident. Due to this, the New York Giants have reportedly withdrawn their $60 million long-term contract offer for Pierre-Paul, according to NFL.