No one thought defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul could recover from a Fourth of July fireworks accident in 2015 that mangled his right hand, but he proved his doubters wrong, returning to the New York Giants just four months later.
JPP’s return from that severe injury — which included the amputation of his index finger — was remarkable, but his latest comeback may be even more impressive.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers activated Pierre-Paul on Saturday, and he is expected to play on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans a mere five months after nearly losing his life in a car accident.
Pierre-Paul had suffered a neck fracture in a single-car accident in South Florida in May, leading many to assume that his season — and potentially his career — were over. However, JPP remained determined to return and resume his football career just as he had done four years earlier.
“Not a lot of people have come back from blowing off their hand too,” Pierre-Paul told reporters this week when it was suggested not many players have returned from broken necks.
“It felt great. It’s been a long journey. I’ve still got a lot going on, but it’s been great being with my teammates. … I feel good,” JPP added.
In his first season with the Buccaneers, Pierre-Paul finished with 12.5 sacks, 58 combined tackles and 16 tackles for loss. And while it may take the two-time Pro Bowler a little time to get his feet back under him, it’s hard not to be impressed with JPP’s determination and motivation.
