Giants TE Theo Johnson, listed as out vs. Cowboys with illness, attends Knicks game, says 'I am not sick'

Johnson was all smiles at Madison Square Garden despite being declared out for the Giants' regular season finale

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson was in attendance for the New York Knicks' loss to the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on Friday night despite not practicing all week and being declared out for Sunday's regular season finale against the Dallas Cowboys with what the team described as a "noncontagious illness." 

Johnson appeared to be all smiles when shown on the jumbotron during the game and posted a picture of himself sitting courtside on Instagram. Additionally, Johnson reposted a photo shared of him on social media by a New York Post reporter with the caption, "I am not sick."

Theo Johnson just posted on Instagram that he is not sick despite the #Giants listing him as out for Sunday’s game with an illness https://t.co/amNyY3i8bQ pic.twitter.com/nlgSN5nWR8

— Jared Schwartz (@jschwartz115) January 3, 2026

Johnson missed the Giants' 34-10 win against the Las Vegas Raiders last week due to an illness and returned to the team facility during the week before being one of several players sent home with an illness this week. Linebacker Abdul Carter, wide receiver Jalin Hyatt and defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence all missed practice on Jan. 1. Only Johnson is listed as out for Sunday's game, while Hyatt is listed as questionable. Carter and Lawrence were not on the injury report. 

"So he's just got still this little bit of a sickness and this infection that we're just working through," interim coach Mike Kafka said earlier this week of Johnson's status. "So he's just kind of trying to clean it up. See where it goes."

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With Johnson not playing on Sunday, his season -- his second in the NFL -- is now officially over. He finished the year with 45 catches for 528 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 15 games. 

The Giants enter Sunday's finale with a 3-13 record, tied for the second-worst record in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets and Tennessee Titans. Only the Raiders (2-14) are worse and will clinch the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft with a loss Sunday to the Kansas City Chiefs.