Theo Johnson is one of many New York Giants players who appeared on the injury report for Week 18’s game against the Dallas Cowboys with an illness. The Giants are already eliminated from playoff contention, and a loss would give them a better shot at a high pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Despite Johnson being one of four players with an “illness” designation, he’s the only one confirmed to be out for Week 18. He did not practice during the whole week and won’t play again this season as a result. Nothing out of the ordinary, if not for an interesting catch from a New York reporter.
Theo Johnson Attends Knicks Game Despite Being Ruled Out With Illness
Jared Schwartz, from the New York Post, covers many games from New York sports teams. As he watched the game between the New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, he noticed Johnson on the big screen.
Johnson’s presence at the game confused the reporter. After not practicing for the entire week due to an illness, it’s fair to expect a player not to be out in public. But Johnson watched the game and gave no signals that anything was wrong:
Theo Johnson here at MSG for the #Knicks game
He’s out for Sunday’s #Giants game with an illness… pic.twitter.com/0PjjOBv2Qv
— Jared Schwartz (@jschwartz115) January 3, 2026
Fans on Twitter were also confused about the situation. With one game to go and the Giants already eliminated, there’s no reason to take risks with the health of any players. However, the “illness” designation, the missed practices, and his presence at Madison Square Garden all added to a curious story.
Evidently, the Giants would be better off losing their final game of the season. They currently sit at No. 2 in the 2026 NFL Draft, but a win could see them falling to No. 5. The NFL publicly opposes tanking, but the truth is that winning a meaningless game could have negative consequences.
He’s not the only player to be ruled out for the game. WR Wan’Dale Robinson (ribs), CB Cor’Dale Flott (knee), S Jevon Holland (knee), and DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches (ankle/toe) are all confirmed to miss Sunday’s Week 18 game.
Johnson is not a huge factor in the offense. He currently ranks as No. 35 in our PFSN TE Impact Metric with 528 yards and five touchdowns during the season. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether the league will launch an investigation into the matter.
