Giants news: Malik Nabers' mom breaks silence on missing his huge injury return

In the opening game of the 2026 season, the New York Giants showcased their strength by prevailing against their division rival Dallas with a score of 28-20 on Sunday Night Football. One of the standout players in the match was Giants receiver Malik Nabers, whose return from injury was a significant talking point before the game.

Tonya Nabers, Malik's mother, gave an insight into her emotions during the match. "This game, Malik had to do this by himself," she stated, revealing that he needed to perform without any external pressure. Tonya, who has been present at all of Malik's games since his college days, opted to watch the game on television with her sister in Houston.

She revealed that this decision was the perfect one as Malik would not have been able to sense her anxiety or fear if she were present, which could have made him uneasy. Malik Nabers was a game-time decision for the Week 1 match, and he was unaware of his participation until pre-game warmups. The Giants head coach, John Harbaugh, entrusted Malik with the final decision on whether to play or not.

Tonya implies that she might have dissuaded Malik from playing if she had been at the stadium. Instead, Malik participated and delivered a commendable performance, catching six passes for 69 receiving yards on nine targets. Fans are eagerly anticipating to see if Malik Nabers can elevate his game in the upcoming match. The Giants are set to face the Rams in a road game on Monday Night Football.