Every Major Injury & What it Means

Key Takeaways

• The Rams are in injury hell, with nearly all of their starting offensive line, three quarters of their starting secondary, and their top two WRs on or headed to IR.
• Joe Mixon is awaiting an MRI on his ankle to determine the severity of his injury.
• Tua Tagovailoa has no plans to retire and will attempt a comeback from his concussion.
• CMC and Hollywood Brown will be out for extended periods of time.
• Isiah Pacheco’s x-rays revealed a worst-case scenario for him and the Chiefs.

The NFL is back, but, as it always does, it brings with it the worst part of the game: injuries.

Whether they’re nicks, bumps, bruises, nagging ailments, or more serious injuries that might require surgery, there were all sorts from coast to coast (and way beyond the southern coast in slippery Brazil, too), so let’s go through every major injury coming out of Week 2 as we look ahead to Week 3, and what it means for the player and their team.

Check back in for all the latest updates!

A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Brown: Hamstring (INACTIVE FOR WEEK 2)

The Philadelphia Eagles will be without their No. 1 receiver for their Monday night matchup against the Atlanta Falcons to cap off the Week 2 slate.

A.J. Brown was pulled from Friday’s practice after experiencing some tightness in his hamstring, then did not practice Saturday altogether. He was still tight in Sunday’s walkthrough, so the Eagles opted to rule him out altogether for Week 2, as Adam Schefter announced on ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown.

Losing Brown will be tough for the Eagles, but they have plenty of weapons. Expect them to lean heavily on the running game, which might not be such a bad thing, as Saquon Barkleywas very impressive in his Eagles debut in Week 1.

The fact that Brown was ruled out a full day and a half before kickoff is somewhat worrisome, however, and makes Brown’s long-term status one to monitor closely in the days leading into Week 3.

Derrick Brown, DT, Carolina Panthers

Brown: Meniscus (MAY REQUIRE SEASON-ENDING SURGERY)

The Carolina Panthers may have suffered an enormous blow in Week 1, and we’re not talking about the blowout loss on the scoreboard. Perhaps their best player in 2023, Pro Bowl defensive tackle Derrick Brown is believed to have suffered a knee injury that will reuquire surgery on his meniscus. How invasive the surgery is will determine how long he is out, but it is expected that he’ll be ruled out for the year.

Hollywood Brown, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

Brown: Shoulder (EXPECTED TO BE OUT FOR YEAR)

The Kansas City Chiefs‘ shiny new free agent signee is now likely done for the season. Hollywood Brown suffered a rare shoulder injury late in the offseason that kept him out in Week 1 and now looks like an issue that will require months of recovery. Brown’s injury to his SC joint is one that requires reconstructive surgery, which took place on the Monday of Week 2 after the team placed him on IR the previous Friday.

Brown’s recovery will be “months, not weeks” according to Chiefs coach Andy Reid. So expect Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy to get all the looks they can handle again for the regular season. It’s certainly a blow for a Chiefs offense that revamped their WR room this offseason and has not had the explosive start in the passing game that they’d hoped for with renewed investment.

Jake Ferguson, TE, Dallas Cowboys

Ferguson: MCL (EXPECTED BACK FOR WEEK 3)

At first glance, Dallas’ top tight end suffered what looked like an ugly knee injury after catching a pass in Week 1. Jake Ferguson was ruled to have suffered an MCL sprain. Reports initially suggested he could be ready to play again as soon as Week 2, but that didn’t happen, as Ferguson was ruled out in the end.

With Ferguson ruled out, Luke Schoonmaker caught all six of his targets and went for 43 yards in an embarrassing loss for Dallas in Week 2. However, Schoonmaker shouldn’t get comfortable, as Executive VP Stephen Jones said on Monday that he expects Ferguson back for Week 3 and that the starter came “really close” to suiting up for Week 2. Not that he would’ve made a difference in a 44-19 thrashing.

Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Higgins: Hamstring (INACTIVE FOR WEEK 2)

The Cincinnati Bengals offense was abysmal in Week 1 for many reasons, not least of which was the absence of WR2 Tee Higgins in the lineup. Higgins is dealing with a hamstring injury that kept him out of the first two games of the season, but that is apparently coming along nicely according to head coach Zac Taylor.

The head coach said on Monday that Higgins was moving in a positive direction and that the extra day of prep with the team playing on MNF in Week 3 could be crucial. It seems Higgins is very close to a return.

If Higgins does remains out, Andre Iosivas will once again receive every chance to make an impression. In Week 1, Iosivas was out there for every single offensive snap but still only saw three catches for 26 yards. In Week 2, he made a much bigger impact. He only caught two passes for seven yards, but both were for touchdowns.

Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers

Love: MCL (3-6 WEEKS)

The first major injury of the NFL season came on another continent as Jordan Love‘s knee was knocked around in their season opener in Brazil. It was even sadder because it happened with just six seconds left in the Packers’ loss. He was revealed to have suffered an injury to the MCL in his left knee, though the close-up replay made it look much worse.

Tests revealed that the ACL was completely fine, but that the MCL issue would cost him 3-6 weeks. The QB and team sought a second opinion, however, as there is belief he could return sooner. While most believe he won’t return prior to Week 5, the team is still treating this like a week-to-week injury, though recently acquired third-year pro Malik Willis stepping in under center for the Packers and producing a serviceable performance in a win certainly makes the team less desperate for Love to make a speedy recovery.

Head coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday that it would be “ideal” for Love to get a practice in before returning to game action but that it was not a “prerequisite”.

Willis went 12-for-14 for 122 yards and a TD with no picks through the air, while also chipping in six rushes for 41 yards in Green Bay’s Week 2 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

McCaffrey: Calf/Achilles (INJURED RESERVE)

Perhaps the biggest shock in the injury realm in Week 1 was the late report that Christian McCaffrey would sit out Week 1 after saying for weeks that his calf injury was not too serious.

The injury has been compounded since then. Something must have aggravated it, as it’s not just a calf strain anymore, but Achilles tendonitis as well, which landed McCaffrey on injured reserve, meaning he’ll miss at least the next four games.

However, most reports claim that McCaffrey is likely to be on the shelf closer to six weeks, if not more. A six-week asbence would bring him back in Week 8, but with their bye in Week 9, the team might just wait for Week 10 to give CMC his 2024 debut.

With their starter out at least four weeks, Jordan Mason will continue to see an expanded role in the offense, likely even when CMC returns, as his tendonitis condition will likely mean he needs to reduce his workload. Mason went for 28 carries, 147 yards, and a TD in his first career start on MNF and followed that up with 100 yards and a TD in a Week 2 loss.

The earliest McCaffrey can return would be for the Niners’ Week 6 matchup against the New Orleans Saints, though he’s likely to remain out long past then.

Nacua, Kupp, & the Rest of the Rams Roster (Seriously)

Nacua: Knee (IR), Kupp: Ankle (CANDIDATE FOR IR)

It was announced last week that Puka Nacua, along with starting offensive linemen Steve Avila and Joe Noteboom, would be heading to injured reserve after all three picked up injuries in Week 1. None will be available until Week 7 (L.A. has a Week 6 bye, when they would be eligible to return).

In Week 2, the barrage continued. L.A.’s other star wideout, Cooper Kupp, suffered another ankle injury, and, according to head coach Sean McVay, will miss an “extended period of time” and is a candidate to join his buddies on the IR.

Expensive offseason addition Jonah Jackson, essentially the last remaining starting offensive lineman, also aggravated a shoulder injury, reportedly fracturing his scapula. His recovery timeline was described in the same words as Kupp’s by McVay.

Prior to Week 1, the Rams would have ideally started, from right to left, Rob Havenstein, Kevin Dotson, Steve Avila, Jonah Jackson, and Joe Noteboom, on their offensive line. Havenstein missed Week 1 with an ankle injury, but has returned. Avila was injured early in Week 1 and is now on IR, ditto for Noteboom. Now, Jackson is likely to join them. Dotson is the only one who has remained healthy throughout.

The offensive line injuries are piling up, which is bad news bears for a team fielding a 36-year-old QB with a bad back. Matthew Stafford not having Nacua and Kupp to throw to in those pressure situations only makes the issue that much worse.

Expect Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, and Tutu Atwell to see a lot more work as Stafford attempts to make something of this offense after a ghastly effort in Week 2.

David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns

Njoku: Ankle (OUT)

Being ruled out on Wednesday for a game on Sunday is never a good sign, but that was the case for David Njoku in Week 2. He suffered a high ankle sprain against the Cowboys, which means he could be out for a while, with head coach Kevin Stefanski labeling him as “week-to-week”.

This is a pretty big loss for struggling QB Deshaun Watson, who clearly needs all the help he can get right now. Jordan Akins stepped in for Njoku after the latter suffered his injury in Week 1, chipping in three catches for 27 yards. He should have seen even more work in Week 2, but caught his lone target for just 10 yards.

Keenan Allen, WR, Chicago Bears

Allen: Heel (INACTIVE FOR WEEK 2)

That exciting Bears offense everyone was talking about all offseason has yet to rear its head, and its coming out party might be delayed even further after veteran offseason addition Keenan Allen was added to the Bears’ list of inactives with a heel injury ahead of the team’s SNF loss.

Rookie wideout Rome Odunze had been on the report too, but was able to play.

Allen has had injury issues in the past, so the Bears are likely to take the cautious approach with the 32-year-old who has now missed 12 games over the last two-plus years. Allen also suffered season-ending injuries in 2015 and 2016.

If Allen is forced to miss an extended period, veteran D.J. Moore and Odunze would see a lot more targets, though what that means in this anemic Bears offense remains to be seen.

Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa

Tagovailoa: Concussion (OUT INDEFINITELY)

The big story on Thursday Night Football in Week 2 wasn’t that the Buffalo Bills beat the Miami Dolphins, but rather the health status of Tua Tagovailoa, who suffered a concussion and left the game.

Tua’s history with concussions had led to speculation and debate as to whether he will ever play in the NFL again.

While calls for Tua to retire have grown around the league, it’s ultimately Tua’s decision. The latest on that, is that the 26-year-old has “no plans” to retire, and is simply focusing on recovering, according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The Dolphins have ruled Tua out indefinitely, with no intention of rushing him back onto the field. Skylar Thompson is slated to start in his place, with Miami also picking up Tyler Huntley on Monday.

Russell Wilson, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Wilson: Calf (OUT)

Russell Wilson was named the Week 1 starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but a calf strain kept him from making his debut for his new team. He practiced in a limited fashion prior to Week 1 on both Thursday and Friday, so the fact that he did so again on Tuesday and Wednesday prior to Week 2 didn’t indicate he would be returning.

Mike Tomlin said that the team was preparing as if Justin Fields would get his second straight start, and that’s exactly what happened, with Fields running his record to 2-0 as Pittsburgh’s starter. Tomlin spoke about what he wanted to see from Wilson before considering him for game action in Week 2, and this probably applies to Week 3 as well:

Over the course of the week, we’ll be analyzing whether he’s capable of protecting himself, whether he’s capable of being productive. When we get to those points, that’s when we’ll ponder his inclusion or not, and when that happens, it will probably be a component of that equation.

Reports have since emerged that the soonest Wilson can return would be in Week 4. However, Wilson going back under center is not guaranteed if the Steelers rattle off some wins. It’s certainly starting to smell like Wilson won’t be able to get under center unless Fields plays poorly or suffers an injury. Oh, how the turntables have turned.

All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.