National Football League

Giants LB ruptures patella tendon, ACL

Published Sep. 2, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Giants backup linebacker Clint Sintim's career appears to be in jeopardy after he suffered a devastating injury to his right knee Thursday.

Sintim, a former second-round pick, ruptured the patella tendon and likely severed the ACL after a chop block in the third quarter of the team's 18-17 exhibition win over the Patriots.

It was the same knee in which Sintim tore the ACL last season, resulting in a grueling rehab and comeback that came to a jarring halt at Gillette Stadium.

"As soon as I hit, I knew," an emotional Sintim said afterward. "It's unfortunate. I worked really hard to get back, and, um ... it's just unfortunate. But that's the way football is. I'm going to give myself a couple of days, and I'm going to get back on the grind."