Giants Receiver Hixon Out For Season

By Justin Worsley

The New York Giants announced on Wednesday that return specialist Domenik Hixon has suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, ending the fifth-year veteran's season before it even began.

Hixon, who also contributes on offense as a wide receiver, suffered the injury on the FieldTurf artificial surface in the New Meadowlands Stadium on Tuesday, when the team held their first practice in the new stadium. An MRI by team doctors revealed that it was a torn ACL, not a hyper-extended knee that the team initially suspected was the injury after Hixon's foot was caught in the turf while he was fielding a punt.

The team also announced Hixon will undergo season-ending surgery within the next two or three weeks.

Hixon's injury is a cause for concern for the New Meadowlands stadium, which is the home field for both the Giants and the New York Jets. Synthetic turf fields are already well-known for causing more injuries, especially knee injuries. Years of research and advancements in the types of shoes to wear have helped decrease the number of injuries occurred over the years, but it is still necessary to research whether or not such an injury is preventable.

Hixon joined the Giants midway into the 2007 season after being cut by the Denver Broncos. He started five games of the 2008 season in place of Plaxico Burress, who was suspended by the team twice.