The New York Giants re-signed wide receiver Sterling Shepard to a one-year deal earlier this offseason, assuring that he will remain in East Rutherford through 2023.
Shepard is returning from a torn ACL and it’s unclear when he’ll be ready to take the field again but the Giants intend to be patient. Whenever he’s ready, they’ll be ready to have him back.
And if Shepard intends to play beyond 2023, the Giants would still like to keep him in tow. But even if he opts to retire after this coming season, co-owner John Mara envisions a long-term organizational role for Shep, reports Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News.
Ownership’s hope is that it will be ‘Once a Giant, Always a Giant’ for Sterling Shepard even after he’s done playing.
Sources told the Daily News this week that co-owner John Mara in particular envisions a “long-term” role for Shepard, 30, in the organization.
Mara is said to value Shepard’s “energy” and “presence.” To paraphrase one source, Mara and the Giants feel like the building wouldn’t be the same without him.
After suffering his injury in Week 3 last season, the Giants opted to keep Shepard around the team, even taking him on road trips which is outside the norm for injured players. But like Mara, head coach Brian Daboll saw the value in Shepard’s presence and didn’t want to lose that.
Shepard was valuable in the wide receiver room and helped coach up some of the younger players while acting like a mascot on game days.
The 2016 second-round pick has clearly made a home with the Giants and around the community, and Mara wants that to be rewarded.
