NY Giants Tight End Daniel Fells Fighting Staph Infection; Doctors Hope to Save Foot

© Frederick Breedon/Getty Images Daniel Fells #85 of the New York Giants watches from the sideline during the second half of a game against the Tennessee Titans at LP Field on December 7, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.

New York Giants tight end Daniel Fells is in a battle to save his foot and possibly his life as NFL.com reports that Fells has had five surgeries to stop a serious staph infection reportedly contracted from a cortisone injection received after a toe injury.

The website reports that Fells is battling Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection which has had the 32-year-old hospitalized for over a week. As of Friday, several news sites noted that Fells condition looked to be improving since he had been moved from the Intensive Care Unit to a private room.

On Saturday, a source with knowledge of Fells condition told NFL.com that tight end  was in serious danger of losing his foot, a move doctor's were considering given the nature of the infection.

According to the news site Fells has already undergone five surgeries and has more planned.

Fells was reportedly given a cortisone shot after a toe injury. On Oct. 2, Fells wife took him to the emergency room as he was suffering from a 104-degree temperature. "There, they found his ankle was infected with MRSA, a dangerous staph infection that is resistant to many antibiotics," NFL.com reports.

Doctors don't want to amputate Fells foot but are concerned that the infection has spread to the bone and possible his blood, which could prove fatal.

"This is a serious situation that has been taken seriously from the beginning," Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon told NFL.com. "We're all fighting for Daniel."

Because the infection is highly contagious, Giants have had the locker room, training rooms and meetings rooms scrubbed and sanitized according to protocol from the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network.  

"We are working with infectious disease specialists, and we have defined protocols that we are following in consultation with the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network and local infectious disease specialists," Hanlon told ESPN. "Those protocols are being followed carefully."

Fells posted a message to his Twitter account Sunday evening before the Giants took on the San Francisco 49ers on:

My heart is with my brothers tonight. Get that W G-men. I love every one of you #thiswillnotdefeatme https://t.co/lJ01kL3DCR

— Daniel Fells (@danielfells85) October 11, 2015

Read more at NFL.com and ESPN. 

Like The Root on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.