EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – OCTOBER 04: Greg Newsome II #20 and Arvell Reese #52 of the New York Giants react after a play against the Arizona Cardinals during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium on October 04, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images)

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Ellis Williams

By Ellis Williams

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New York Giants rookie linebacker Arvell Reese helped turn a difficult afternoon for the offense into a division win Sunday. He finished with 12 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble as New York beat the Philadelphia Eagles 19-11 at Lincoln Financial Field.

Two of those sacks gave the fifth overall draft pick a distinction across the entire league. According to Next Gen Stats, Reese became the first NFL player in 2026 to record at least two sacks from an inside-linebacker alignment in a single game.

The tracking designation refers to where Reese lined up on those plays. His other sack produced a forced fumble and took just 2.29 seconds, the fastest time to a sack recorded in the NFL this season, according to the same analysis.

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New York Giants linebacker Arvell Reese, right, celebrates beside Greg Newsome II

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New York head coach John Harbaugh praised more than the rookie’s production when discussing his development after the game.

“He wants to do things the right way,” Harbaugh said. “He’s a great leader in his own quiet way.”

Harbaugh also described Reese as humble, tough, hardworking and coachable. The coach said he and general manager Joe Schoen were thrilled when the former Ohio State standout was available to New York at No. 5 in the draft.

Reese’s performance included 10 solo tackles, three tackles for loss and three quarterback hits. The Giants sacked Philadelphia quarterback Joe Milton seven times, with Reese accounting for nearly half of that total. New York improved to 5-2-1 and remained atop the NFC East.

The win also ended a long stretch of frustration in Philadelphia. New York had lost 13 consecutive games at Lincoln Financial Field, including a playoff meeting, since its last victory there in October 2013.

Reese also became just the second Giants rookie with a three-sack game. The only previous example came from then-Giants defensive lineman B.J. Hill against the Chicago Bears on Dec. 2, 2018.

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