Lawrence Taylor Says JPP Doesn't Need an Index Finger to Succeed, But a Missing Thumb Might Be a Problem

Jason Pierre-Pauldoesn't believe the loss of his right index finger will affect his ability to play in the NFL, and at least one former player agrees with him.

Lawrence Taylor played 13 seasons with the Giants, and made a name for himself by racking up quarterback sacks. Speaking at the reunion of New York's Super Bowl XXV team on Sunday, Taylor said that a missing index finger indeed shouldn't be too much of a problem. But the part of JPP's thumb that's missing could be a real issue.

“I don’t think the index finger is that important,” he said. “The most important thing is the thumb. If your thumb is damaged, and I know how it is when you have a damaged thumb, that is no good. The index finger, I think he can fight through that. He may not have the grabbing, but he can still slap and swim and you can still tackle. If the thumb is bad, then it’s very hard. I’ve done everything to my thumb. My thumb goes south, it never goes north anymore.”

In the photo we saw of JPP without a bandage covering his injuries, the thumb appeared to be significantly damaged. We won't know just how much it will affect him until he returns to action, and that could be a while since he and the Giants are at odds over whether or not he is capable of doing so.

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