TEMPE, Ariz. – Midway through Brian Daboll's virtual news conference on Tuesday, a reporter said of Saquon Barkley, "obviously he's going to be out for at least some time."
"I wouldn't count on that, not just yet," Daboll responded.
Clearly, anyone who counted Barkley out of the Giants' Thursday night game in San Francisco didn't consult with Daboll.
The Giants coach left open the possibility that Barkley might face the 49ers in Levi's Stadium, despite the ankle injury he suffered late in the victory against the Arizona Cardinals just two days ago.
"I'm not saying that he's out yet," Daboll said. "He's a quick healer. I'm not saying he's in, he's out. We are going to take it all the way up with him to Thursday, but he feels a lot better today. I just talked to him. So, we will see where we are at."
Barkley was hurt with 1:02 remaining in the Giants' dramatic 31-28 victory against the Cardinals. His lower leg bent awkwardly at the end of a two-yard run on the team's final offensive possession, which produced Graham Gano's game-winning field goal. He was helped to the sideline and was examined later that evening and again yesterday.
Multiple media reports said Barkley sustained a sprained ankle and would be sidelined three weeks. Yesterday, the Giants players who spoke publicly talked about the possibility of playing without Barkley. But Daboll wasn't about to confirm or deny that today.
"I just think with every injury, until you're with the player, you see the player… I don't know, you might heal a little bit different than I heal, I might heal a little bit different than another player heals," he said. "So, again, Saquon is, I'd say he's a lot better than maybe I thought he would be, or some other people thought he would be today. He might heal a little bit different than another player, if you will. So, we'll just take it day-to-day with him and if he can make it, great. If he can't, we'll see if he can get better by the following week, and we'll just take it one day at a time."
After playing Thursday, the Giants will have 10 days off before hosting the Seattle Seahawks on Monday, Oct. 2.
"I think it all factors in, but ultimately, I go back to the player and see where he's at," Daboll said. "He's made considerable progress, just in a day and a half or however many days we've been out here. Again, we will go all the way up there to the start on Thursday and see where we are at."
The Giants have three other running backs on their roster in veteran Matt Breida, third-year pro Gary Brightwell, and rookie Eric Gray. Breida would likely start if Barkley is inactive.
"The three guys that we have behind Saquon, they are all here for a reason," Daboll said. "We are comfortable with all those guys, whether that's run or pass."
Even if Barkley does play, it's doubtful Barkley would duplicate the workload he had Sunday when the only offensive play he missed was immediately after he suffered the injury.
On that play, Breida gained five yards before Gano was summoned to kick the game-winning field goal. Daboll and Breida have been together for three seasons, one in Buffalo and two with the Giants.
"He's a pro," Daboll said. "He knows what to do, he knows how to do it, he's done it for a while. He's got speed, he's got some quickness about him. He's had some productive years as a runner, he was at San Francisco. He's just a pro and he knows our system well and we have confidence in him."
Breida played his first three pro seasons for the 49ers (2017-19), when he averaged 127 carries a year. From 2020-22 with Miami, Buffalo and the Giants, he averaged 46.3. He has not had more than nine rushing attempts in a game since Dec. 20, 2020, when he had 12 for the Dolphins vs. New England. But he said he can handle as many carries as the Giants need.
"I came into the league, I was fifth string, and then I was a starter at one point, so like this is nothing new to me," he said. "Football is football at the end of the day, you go out there and play, so it's nothing different.
"Whatever they want me to do, I'm going to do. If I've got to play 80 snaps, 100 snaps, I said I've been a starter before so it's nothing new to me. At the end of the day, if he (Barkley) can't go, we are all ready to step up and do our part and like I said, he's a game time decision, so we will see."
If Breida is the primary ballcarrier on Thursday, what will it mean to him?
"I just want to go out there and play for my team," he said. "At the end of the day, I'm grateful to still be playing in the NFL. I came in undrafted so just to be here, I am blessed and whatever my team needs, I'm doing it."
View photos from the Giants' 31-28 comeback victory over the Cardinals in Glendale.


RB Saquon Barkley (26)

ILB Micah McFadden (41)

K Graham Gano (9)

DT DJ Davidson (98), DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

K Graham Gano (9)

RB Saquon Barkley (26), C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)

TE Daniel Bellinger (82), RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26), TE Daniel Bellinger (82)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Gary Brightwell (23), RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

P Jamie Gillan (6)

OL Marcus McKethan (60), C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)

OL Marcus McKethan (60), C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)

TE Darren Waller (12)

DL A'Shawn Robinson (91)

ILB Micah McFadden (41), ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26), C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)

TE Darren Waller (12)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

RB Saquon Barkley (26), C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)


NT Dexter Lawrence II (97)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

ILB Micah McFadden (41)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

ILB Carter Coughlin (52)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

DL A'Shawn Robinson (91), NT Dexter Lawrence II (97), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

P Jamie Gillan (6)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

OLB Boogie Basham (45)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93), DT DJ Davidson (98)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61), QB Daniel Jones (8), WR Darius Slayton (86), G Ben Bredeson (68)

C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61), QB Daniel Jones (8), WR Darius Slayton (86), G Ben Bredeson (68)

C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61), QB Daniel Jones (8), WR Darius Slayton (86), G Ben Bredeson (68)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18), TE Darren Waller (12)

.QB Daniel Jones (8), TE Darren Waller (12)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18), TE Darren Waller (12)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18), TE Darren Waller (12)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26), TE Darren Waller (12)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

TE Darren Waller (12)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

TE Darren Waller (12)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

CB Deonte Banks (25), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5), NT Dexter Lawrence II (97), ILB Micah McFadden (41)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19), ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19), ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58), S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

ILB Micah McFadden (41), RB Eric Gray (20), S Dane Belton (24)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58), S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58), OLB Jihad Ward (55)

TE Darren Waller (12)

TE Darren Waller (12)

TE Darren Waller (12)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

TE Darren Waller (12)

S Jason Pinnock (27)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61), G Ben Bredeson (68)

DL Leonard Williams (99)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

DL Leonard Williams (99)

S Jason Pinnock (27), ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

OLB Oshane Ximines (53)

DL Leonard Williams (99)

LS Casey Kreiter (59)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

LS Casey Kreiter (59), OLB Oshane Ximines (53)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

TE Darren Waller (12)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

TE Darren Waller (12)

RB Taiwan Jones (36)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

TE Darren Waller (12)

OLB Jihad Ward (55), CB Adoree' Jackson (22), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5), NT Dexter Lawrence II (97), DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93), DL A'Shawn Robinson (91)

ILB Cam Brown (47)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

TE Darren Waller (12)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

P Jamie Gillan (6), OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)

TE Darren Waller (12)

TE Darren Waller (12)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

TE Darren Waller (12)

TE Darren Waller (12)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

QB Daniel Jones (8)


TE Darren Waller (12), QB Daniel Jones (8)

TE Darren Waller (12), QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

P Jamie Gillan (6)

C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61), G Ben Bredeson (68), QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61), G Ben Bredeson (68), QB Daniel Jones (8)

P Jamie Gillan (6)

DL A'Shawn Robinson (91)

OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)

OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)

OL Joshua Ezeudu (75), K Graham Gano (9)

TE Darren Waller (12), WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

TE Darren Waller (12), WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

DL A'Shawn Robinson (91), DT DJ Davidson (98)

Brian Daboll Head Coach, QB Daniel Jones (8)

Brian Daboll Head Coach

Brian Daboll Head Coach, QB Daniel Jones (8)

Brian Daboll Head Coach

Brian Daboll Head Coach, QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

TE Darren Waller (12), QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

Brian Daboll Head Coach

QB Daniel Jones (8), TE Darren Waller (12)

Brian Daboll Head Coach

Brian Daboll Head Coach

K Graham Gano (9), Brian Daboll Head Coach

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

OLB Oshane Ximines (53), TE Darren Waller (12)


CB Deonte Banks (25)

OLB Oshane Ximines (53)

OLB Jihad Ward (55)

OLB Boogie Basham (45)

OLB Oshane Ximines (53)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

RB Gary Brightwell (23)

RB Matt Breida (31)

TE Darren Waller (12)

QB Daniel Jones (8), RB Saquon Barkley (26)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

Brian Daboll Head Coach

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58), S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19), ILB Micah McFadden (41)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58), S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19), ILB Micah McFadden (41)

RB Taiwan Jones (36)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

S Xavier McKinney (29), RB Taiwan Jones (36), S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

S Xavier McKinney (29), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5), RB Saquon Barkley (26), ILB Cam Brown (47)


NT Dexter Lawrence II (97), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

CB Deonte Banks (25)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

NT Dexter Lawrence II (97), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

S Xavier McKinney (29), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5), RB Saquon Barkley (26)

G Ben Bredeson (68), C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61), G Ben Bredeson (68)

NT Dexter Lawrence II (97), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

S Xavier McKinney (29), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5), RB Saquon Barkley (26)

TE Darren Waller (12)

S Xavier McKinney (29), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5), RB Saquon Barkley (26)

S Xavier McKinney (29), ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

Brian Daboll Head Coach

WR Darius Slayton (86)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

S Jason Pinnock (27)

QB Tyrod Taylor (2)

QB Tyrod Taylor (2)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

WR Darius Slayton (86)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

RB Eric Gray (20)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux

QB Tyrod Taylor (2)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

S Dane Belton (24)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux

S Dane Belton (24)

S Dane Belton (24)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8), TE Darren Waller (12)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8), TE Darren Waller (12)

QB Daniel Jones (8), WR Parris Campbell (0)

TE Darren Waller (12)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

OL Evan Neal (73)

CB Adoree' Jackson (22)

CB Adoree' Jackson (22)

NT Dexter Lawrence II (97)

CB Cor'Dale Flott (28)

RB Taiwan Jones (36)

S Jason Pinnock (27)

S Bobby McCain (21)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

OL Matt Peart (74)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

CB Tre Hawkins III (37)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

K Graham Gano (9)

OLB Boogie Basham (45)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

OLB Boogie Basham (45)

S Xavier McKinney (29)

OLB Oshane Ximines (53)

CB Deonte Banks (25)

ILB Micah McFadden (41)

CB Deonte Banks (25)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

TE Lawrence Cager (83)

RB Eric Gray (20)

TE Darren Waller (12)

TE Darren Waller (12)

ILB Cam Brown (47)

RB Gary Brightwell (23)

WR Dennis Houston (88)

CB Nick McCloud (44)

CB Nick McCloud (44)

NT Dexter Lawrence II (97)

DL Leonard Williams (99)

NT Dexter Lawrence II (97)

DL Leonard Williams (99)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

QB Tyrod Taylor (2)

ILB Carter Coughlin (52)

QB Tyrod Taylor (2)

OL Joshua Ezeudu (75)

OLB Jihad Ward (55)

CB Darnay Holmes (30)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

CB Adoree' Jackson (22)

S Dane Belton (24)

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

TE Lawrence Cager (83)

RB Saquon Barkley (26)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

RB Eric Gray (20)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

TE Darren Waller (12)

S Bobby McCain (21)

NT Dexter Lawrence II (97)

S Jason Pinnock (27)

WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

ILB Carter Coughlin (52)

QB Tyrod Taylor (2)

WR Parris Campbell (0)

QB Tyrod Taylor (2)

OLB Jihad Ward (55)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

CB Tre Hawkins III (37)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

RB Matt Breida (31)

DT DJ Davidson (98)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

K Graham Gano (9)

S Gervarrius Owens (39)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

TE Daniel Bellinger (82)

S Dane Belton (24)

P Jamie Gillan (6)

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19)

S/ILB Isaiah Simmons (19), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)

ILB Cam Brown (47)

TE Lawrence Cager (83)


RB Gary Brightwell (23)

CB Nick McCloud (44)

K Graham Gano (9)

G Ben Bredeson (68), C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)

TE Darren Waller (12), WR Jalin Hyatt (13)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr (93)

S Bobby McCain (21), RB Matt Breida (31)

OLB Boogie Basham (45)

DL Leonard Williams (99)

ILB Bobby Okereke (58)

DL Leonard Williams (99)

DL Leonard Williams (99)

CB Deonte Banks (25)

QB Tyrod Taylor (2)

OL Matt Peart (74)

QB Daniel Jones (8)

QB Tyrod Taylor (2)

Ben Burress, QB Daniel Jones (8)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

WR Isaiah Hodgins (18)

NT Dexter Lawrence II (97)

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

NT Dexter Lawrence II (97)

WR Sterling Shepard (3)

LS Casey Kreiter (59), P Jamie Gillan (6)
*Left guard Ben Bredeson will miss the San Francisco game after suffering a concussion in the third quarter against the Cardinals.
"I don't think Ben will pass protocol in this short amount of time (between games)," Daboll said. "So, I'd say he's leaning more towards out, if you will." Mark Glowinski, who started the season opener at right guard, took over on the left side when Bredeson left the game.
*The status of left tackle Andrew Thomas and outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari, who each have hamstring injuries, is yet to be determined.
"I would say Azeez and AT are kind of in the Saquon deal," Daboll said. "We'll take that right up all the way to Thursday."
*The Giants' injury report remained unchanged from yesterday. Because they held a walk-through, player participation was projected. Barkley and Bredeson did not practice, while Thomas, Ojulari, wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson (knee) and linebacker Micah McFadden were limited.
*Thursday night games are broadcast by Prime Video, but the Giants-49ers game will also be carried in the New York market by FOX5 (WNYW). Kickoff is scheduled Thursday at 8:15 p.m., eastern time.

The Giants Foundation 5K & Kids Run
Register today and run with Giants Legends in The Giants Foundation 5K and Kids Run, Presented by Quest®