The New York Giants have lost their second tight end of Super Bowl XLVI to an injury when starter Jake Ballard left the game during the third quarter.
Ballard injured his left knee while running a pass route over the middle. He planted his left foot to make a cut inside, and went down untouched with an apparent left knee injury. Ballard was able to walk off the field under his own power, but was limping badly.
The Giants told NFL.com Ballard was ruled out for the rest of the game with a sprained knee. Ballard later told the New York Daily News he tore cartilage in the knee.
"This Super Bowl is the best medicine for the pain," he told the newspaper.
Ballard did his best to return to the game. He was taken by the team's medical staff to the bench area and cameras later caught him trying to warm up on the sideline, where he went down again in obvious pain after attempting to cut on the knee. He was then helped off the sideline by two members of the medical staff.
The Giants had already lost backup tight end Travis Beckum to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the second quarter. The injuries left the Giants with just one tight end, Bear Pascoe.
