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Giants dedicate win over 49ers to MRSA-infected teammate Daniel Fells

Eric Edholm

While the New York Giants pulled off an improbable last-minute drive to beat the San Francisco 49ers Sunday night, their teammate, Daniel Fells, sat in a hospital room hoping to have his foot saved from amputation.

Fells has been diagnosed with MRSA, a dangerous and even potentially fatal staph infection that often is resistant to even the most powerful antibiotics. The Giants tight end was admitted to the emergency room with a 104-degree fever and reportedly has had at least five surgeries to help stem the infection and try to keep his foot.

Fells sent out a message on Twitter to let his Giants teammates know he’d be supporting them as best he could while he battled his ailment.

The irony was not lost when Eli Manning hit fellow tight end Larry Donnell for the tremendous, game-winning touchdown in traffic. After the game, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin dedicated the victory to Fells and gave him a game ball in the locker room.

“Thank God we were able to get him the game ball,” Coughlin said.

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Coughlin offered up a more positive update on Fells’ situation that appeared to shed some positive light.

“He has had two very good days in a row,” Coughlin said. “His MRIs have come back without any issues the last couple of days, thank God. Hopefully, he’ll just continue in that direction and have this cleared up so he can go home and see his kids.”

A source close to Fells indicated that the next few days will be critical for Fells’ short- and long-term health prognosis. His season is clearly over, so for now, his Giants teammates will do their best to honor their teammate with dramatic victories as a way of picking up his spirits.

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!