From the New York Giants
Osi Umenyiora was back on the field today for the first time since a preseason knee injury, taking part on the first day of Giants organized team activities.
“It felt good,” Umenyiora said. “I was excited, very excited to be around those guys. I realized I missed them. I miss being out there. This is my seventh year. I’m the oldest (longest-tenured) guy here. Imagine that, I’m the oldest guy on this defense as far as being with the Giants. When I look around, it’s just amazing that I’ve been here that long. I’m just happy to be here.” Umenyiora missed all of last season after suffering a knee injury in a preseason game against the Jets. He canceled a trip to Nigeria with other NFL players from that country to stay in New Jersey and work out.
“It’s good to see him out there,” Tom Coughlin said. “He’s really had a good offseason. He’s been very good in the weight room. His strength, development, and conditioning have been outstanding, so it’s good to have him back out on the field working on the technical aspect of his game.”
Umenyiora has been running regularly and lifting weights, but today returned to football activities for the first time in nine months.
“It was definitely fun,” Umenyiora said. “It felt weird. I was a little rusty. But I felt good at the same time. I think all the work that I’ve put in the past year or so has really paid off. I feel explosive. I feel good.”
Asked how he came out of his stance, Umenyiora said, “All of that’s wonderful. My technique is a little rusty still, but I’ve been off for a whole year. It’ll get where it needs to be.”
Umenyiora said he anticipates no problems with his surgically repaired knee.
“The pain is basically gone,” he said. “There’s a little bit, but that’s been there since I’ve been in the NFL. I had that little knee thing. I’m used to dealing with that. The surgery went extremely well. I don’t even feel that pain at all. I feel good. I feel like I look — good — and that’s all that’s important.”
The workouts were the first at the Giants new training center, located in the parking lot at Giants Stadium.
“It’s a good day,” Eli Manning said. “This is what we like to do; we like to play football. We like to be on the field competing and throwing the ball around. That’s what our job is.
“It’s good to be out there with the coaches and seeing the abilities of some of the new guys and seeing how other guys have improved. It’s good to get started and know that the practices are coming around and we’re getting closer to the season.”