New York Giants tight end Daniel Fells is currently battling a severe MRSA infection and his career may be in jeopardy after undergoing multiple surgeries on his foot to defeat the contagion.
According to several reports, Fells’s career in the National Football League appears to be over after losing a portion of his foot during surgery.
Insider Buzz: #Giants Fells’ Infection Could Be Life-Threatening, #NFL Career Is over http://t.co/lzTwpJDQb7 via @bleacherreport
— Jason Cole (@JasonColeBR) October 12, 2015
A portion of Giants TE Daniel Fells’ foot has been removed; he will no longer be able to play football. — NFL Access (@NFL_Access) October 12, 2015
NY Giants player Daniel Fells could lose foot to MRSA infection after ankle injury: http://t.co/i2fuxdy8Mz pic.twitter.com/YHxAnaE1hD
— ABC News (@ABC) October 12, 2015
However, neither Fells nor any representative of his has confirmed the news, and one reporter is denying that Fells had part of his foot removed.
Also my understanding is that Daniel Fells has NOT had a chunk or portion of his foot removed. http://t.co/RIo0NoxeOE — Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) October 12, 2015
Fells was hospitalized October 2 with staph infection, and has undergone multiple surgeries since then, according to ABC News.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin updated the media on Sunday that Fells had been improving saying:
“Fells has had two very good days in a row. We walked into his hospital room Saturday morning at about 7:30, Ed Triggs and I. He was sitting up, his wife was sitting up and they both had a smile on their face. He had really had his first night of sleep for the whole week that night. Then he put two together and his MRI came back without any issues. Thank God and hopefully he will just continue in that direction and have this cleared up so he can go home and see his kids.”
MRSA, a contagious bacterial infection that is resistant to most antibiotics, can be contracted through open wounds. Dr. Rich Besser told ABC that, “When you look at contact sports, there’s lots of opportunities out there for cuts and scrapes and lots of chances to share germs, on the field and off. In a locker room or gym, if you’re sharing any towels or razors … even lifting weights, you can come into contact with bacteria from somebody else.”
The New York Giants have reportedly thoroughly cleaned its football facilities in attempt to stop the spread of MRSA.