Giants’ injury updates: Nick Gates’ injury career-threatening? Shane Lemieux back this season?

The news on injured New York Giants offensive linemen Nick Gates and Shane Lemieux, both on IR, was vastly different on Thursday. Gates, who fractured his left leg vs. the Washington Football Team, needs more surgeries and could be facing the end of his career. Lemieux, who underwent surgery for a partially torn patellar tendon, might not be done this season.

Gates

Gates, who had started 18 straight games for the Giants, remains hospitalized in the D.C. area. He faces more surgeries on the leg he fractured in gruesome fashion last Thursday.

“I’d be lying from my perspective if I said no,” head coach Joe Judge said Thursday when asked if Gates’ injury could be career-ending. “I know he’s going to get the best medical care possible.

“We’re confident he’s going to be able to come back. However, my fear for any guy who goes through something like this is, yes, it could be a career-ender.”

Gates’ agent reacted to Judge’s remark by telling ESPN that he believes Gates will be back next season.

Lemieux

Lemieux underwent surgery on Wednesday. He suffered his injury in the first few days of training camp, and had been trying to play through it. He played 17 snaps in the season opener against the Denver Broncos before coming out of the game. He did not play in the second game of the season against Washington.

“We’re optimistic this isn’t going to be anything overly long term. My biggest fear as a coach is something is going to be career-ending for a player.”

Judge said Lemieux’s surgery was “a little less invasive than a complete reconstruction” and “there’s a chance” he could return this season.

“We’ll see what this turnaround looks like,” Judge said. “I wouldn’t rule out anything for return this year at this point ... I couldn’t give you any kind of expected timetable. It sounds like everything went pretty well for him and this wasn’t the worst-case scenario.”

Lemieux suffered hi