Lingering neck injury could force Giants TE Larry Donnell to retire

New York Giants tight end Larry Donnell could be forced to retire if he does not fully recover from a lingering neck injury.

New York Giants tight end Larry Donnell could be forced to retire if he does not fully recover from a lingering neck injury, reports Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.

General manager Jerry Reese said Thursday that Donnell still has not received medical clearance to return to football activities after missing the last eight games of the season with the injury. Donnell said during the season that the injury did not cause him pain, but his MRI revealed issues in his neck.

“Hopefully he’ll be able to continue to play,” Reese said. “We’re expecting him to be back, but necks can be tricky. We’ll have to wait and see where that goes.”

Donnell, 27, caught 29 passes for 223 yards with two touchdowns in eight starts in 2015, his fourth season with the Giants.

- Erin Flynn