Malik Nabers, he insisted afterward, truly didn’t know he could play until warmups. Until he felt good stretching and running routes. Until he got “a little chill through my body.” 

“I was like, ‘Yeah, it’s time,’” Nabers said after the Giants’ 28-20 victory over the Cowboys in the season opener. “It’s time.” 

Nabers’ family didn’t even come to the statement of a victory that opened the John Harbaugh era, with the star receiver questionable — despite being a full participant in practice the entire week — as his recovery from a torn ACL last season reached its final stages.

He finished with six catches on nine targets for 69 yards, taking another step toward recapturing the vintage form that defined his rookie season and the start of his second year until the season-ending injury. 

“It’s a one-on-one battle that you got to go through,” Nabers said. “You gotta do it for yourself. And I didn’t want my family here and I was feeling like I let them down by not playing. I had to do it for myself first. I had to go out there, feel it out, feel I could do it and then I felt good.” 

Nabers walked out of the tunnel and onto the field just before 6:30 p.m., working through his workout with a trainer and then ultimately making the call to play. During the week, he cited a concern with not jeopardizing his career as a reason for why his status lingered into the weekend. 

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers runs as Dallas Cowboys cornerback Cobie Durant defends during the second quarter of a game in East Rutherford, NJ, on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. Bill Kostroun for NY Post

It didn’t take long for him to get involved with the offense, either. On the Giants’ first possession, Jaxson Dart completed his first pass of the game to Nabers, with the wideout motioning across the line of scrimmage and collecting a 9-yard gain. The crowd chanted his name after each reception. A balanced Giants offense meant Nabers didn’t need to dominate in his first game back, but, rather, he started to build a foundation with a sustained cameo that wasn’t guaranteed in the first place. 

Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers smiles as he walks off the field on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, in East Rutherford, NJ. The Giants defeated the Dallas Cowboys 28-20. Bill Kostroun for NY Post

“I had to feel like I wanted to play,” Nabers said. “I had to feel it. Just everyone wanted to see me. … I had to feel the energy.”