Eli Manning hasn't spoken with injured teammate Jason Pierre-Paul, but the New York Giants quarterback knows how vital the pass rusher is to the team's success in 2015.
"Obviously (Pierre-Paul) is an important player," Manning said Friday, via the Times-Picayune. "He is a force on the defensive side, so hopefully everything gets healed up and healthy, and he's able to continue playing football at a high level."
Speaking at the 20th annual Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, Louisiana, Big Blue's signal-caller called the incident "unfortunate."
"I don't know the whole story of how it all happened, but you never want to see any professional athletes get injured, especially in a way that probably could have been avoided," Manning said.
JPP had his right index finger amputated on Wednesday -- a decision that is expected to speed up his recovery process. The 26-year-old also suffered a broken thumb in a fireworks incident over the July 4 weekend.
The Giants sent a trainer to Miami to see JPP after the injury, but was refused access.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast breaks down the latest news surrounding Jason Pierre-Paul's injury, as well as the Mettenberger and Watt feud. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.