Gunner Olszewski was carted off the field Friday during New York Giants OTAs after suffering a non-contact injury in a drill, leaving him holding his lower right leg and wearing visible frustration as trainers and a cart rushed onto the practice field.
Fans and roster-watchers are searching Olszewski’s name because he spent the last three seasons with the Giants, re-signed this offseason on a one-year deal and has been the team’s lead punt returner when healthy — a role that would need an immediate answer if he’s sidelined.
Eyewitness description from a team reporter captured the play: "Gunner Olszewski just went down with a non-contact injury while coming off the line on a route. Immediately showed significant frustration and appeared to grab at his right lower leg. Teammates look upset. Cart coming out quickly." Olszewski had grabbed his lower right leg after going down, then was helped onto a cart and taken for further evaluation.
The team had not released a diagnosis at the time early reports circulated, even as veteran NFL reporter Adam Schefter reported that the injury was believed to be a torn Achilles. That gap — no official statement from the Giants while a prominent reporter cited a severe injury — leaves the club and its special-teams plans in immediate uncertainty.
The stakes are straightforward. Olszewski caught 10 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown last season and, when available, served as the Giants’ primary punt returner. He became part of the Giants’ roster in 2023, spent the past three seasons with the organization and returned on a one-year deal this offseason after previous stops with the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers. Losing him suddenly would force the Giants to alter their return-unit plans during the critical build-up to training camp.
Adding to the urgency is a recent club injury history: the Giants lost defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris to an Achilles tear earlier this month, so an injury of the same nature to a second player would further test the team's depth and medical staff workload.
What comes next is clear but unresolved: a full medical diagnosis and a timeline from the Giants. The team’s silence so far, paired with the report that the injury may be a torn Achilles, means the next confirmed development to watch is the club’s official injury update and any imaging results that follow; until that notice arrives, the Giants must prepare contingencies for their return game and roster construction without their lead punt returner.
