The New York Giants are adding running back Phil Mafah to the practice squad, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, giving the former Clemson standout a fresh chance to stick in the league two weeks into the 2026 season.
The move is a low-risk depth addition for a backfield that already features several established names on the 53-man roster, and it reconnects Mafah with the franchise he scored against in his only NFL appearance.
Mafah, 23, is a physical, north-south runner from Loganville, Georgia, who spent four seasons at Clemson before Dallas selected him in the seventh round of the 2025 draft, 239th overall.
Over 50 college games, he rushed for 2,887 yards and 28 touchdowns, finishing ninth in program history in rushing yards. His senior year was his best statistically even though a shoulder problem lingered all season.
He carried 216 times for 1,115 yards and eight scores, added 21 receptions, and earned third-team All-ACC honors while starting every game.
That same shoulder issue followed him into the NFL. Dallas placed him on injured reserve coming out of his first training camp, and he did not practice in a meaningful way until late December.
The Cowboys activated him on January 3, 2026, and he made his debut the next day against the Giants. In a 34-17 loss, he carried five times for 18 yards, scored on a one-yard plunge early in the fourth quarter, and caught two passes for 11 yards.
Those seven touches remain his entire regular-season résumé.
He returned to Dallas this summer and produced enough in the preseason—13 carries for 61 yards and a touchdown, 4.7 yards per attempt—to stay in the conversation for a roster spot behind Javonte Williams. When final cuts arrived on August 30, the Cowboys chose other options and waived him.
The Giants, whose own running back group includes Cam Skattebo, Najee Harris, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Devin Singletary, now give Mafah a place to develop without occupying an active roster spot.
At roughly 6-foot-1 and 230-plus pounds, Mafah is built for short-yardage work and between-the-tackles pounding rather than home-run speed. Scouts have long praised his balance, pass protection, and reliability with the ball.
Those traits travel well to a practice squad, where he can learn the Giants’ scheme, contribute on scout-team looks, and wait for an injury or a promotion.
For a player whose first NFL season was largely spent on the shelf, another opportunity in the same division is a practical next step rather than a headline splash.
