Theo Johnson
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Giants tight end Theo Johnson found himself at the center of a controversy last week.
Theo Johnson didn’t play in the New York Giants‘ final two wins due to a mysterious illness that was not serious enough to warrant him missing a regular-season New York Knicks game.
Yet, Johnson addressed the controversy surrounding his absence from the Giants‘ victories over the Las Vegas Raiders and Dallas Cowboys and explained why New York’s medical team ultimately made the call for him not to play.
Johnson led the Giants in receiving touchdowns (5) this season and finished third on the team in receiving yards (528). New York, of course, went 4-13 and will pick fifth overall in the NFL Draft in April in Pittsburgh.
Theo Johnson: The Giants Medical Team Held Me Out Of Final Two Games
Johnson was ruled out early in the week before the Cowboys game, and the controversy only arose when he was captured on the screen at Madison Square Garden during the Knicks’ home game against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.
Johnson addressed reporters during the Giants’ breakup day, and he admitted he is “dealing with something.” But Johnson pinned him not playing on the medical staff though also declared himself unfit to play.
“They made their medical designation,” Johnson said. “That was the team’s decision. I was dealing with something; I am still dealing with something. I was not able to play this week.”
The Athletic initially reported on Johnson’s appearance at MSG. When asked about Johnson’s availability ahead of the Cowboys game, interim coach Mike Kafka vaguely referenced what Johnson went through.
“He’s just still got a little bit of a sickness and just infection that we’re just working through,” Kafka told The Athletic. “So he’s just kind of trying to clean it up, see where it goes.”
The whole episode frustrated Johnson, particularly since he was going to the game to help his brother celebrate his birthday, which was Dec. 31.
“I don’t even know why I was being discussed,” Johnson said. “I’m not playing, and I don’t know why it’s a big deal that I went to a basketball game.”
Theo Johnson Had A Big Second NFL Season
Johnson was a bit player in his rookie year in 2024 but had a breakout sophomore campaign. He feasted in Malik Nabers’ absence after the Giants No. 1 receiver tore his ACL in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers and developed a solid rapport with 2025 first-round pick Jaxson Dart.
“I think I took a lot of strides this year, a lot of really good strides,” Johnson said. “I think there’s still a lot of room for improvement, and I intend to do that, improve.”
Johnson is set to enter the penultimate year of his rookie, four-year contract and is likely to again be one of New York’s primary receiving options. If healthy, he could take an even larger step, since both tight end Daniel Bellinger and slot receiver Wan’Dale Robinson are about to hit free agency, and it’s unclear if either will be back.
As one of the certain members to return in 2026, Johnson has set goals for himself to get better.
“I’m going to work really hard on consistency,” Johnson said. “I’m going to hammer the ball drills, overall technique is going to be a thing for me, but I’ve shown I can do everything I’m being asked of. It’s just doing it on a consistent level, and that’s something I want to work on.”