The 2024 season is proving to be hard on the players. The injuries keep piling up as the NFL heads into Week 9 of the regular season.
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Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs appears to have suffered one of the most serious injuries of the week. He hurt his knee while running a route against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, and crumbled onto the turf immediately.
#Texans WR Stefon Diggs is down and grabbing his knee. It appeared to be non-contact. pic.twitter.com/IIgB411T0J
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 27, 2024
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Texans were evaluating the injury on Monday. The general prognosis isn’t good. Dr. Nav Singh Badesha suspects Diggs tore his ACL, but is hoping it is only a sprain.
“Stefon Diggs’ video suggests [an] ACL tear. If so, data suggests likely return [of] 2025. Best-case scenario [is] a moderate LCL sprain. [If so], average is six-to-eight weeks out.”
Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers are fretting over Jordan Love’s injury. The quarterback left late in Sunday’s victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars due to a groin injury.
Early indications are that Love suffered a strain and not a tear, giving him a chance to play in Week 9. Badesha says it’s more likely that the Green Bay Packers QB sits out rather than take the field:
“[Groin strain] averages two weeks out. Data suggests 55% chance of missing next week with [a] high chance of re-injury risk with early return.”
The Packers go on bye in Week 10. So if Love sits out week 9, he will have a good two weeks more to recover. But head coach Matt LaFleur has already told reporters that Love will suit up if he “can protect himself and is cleared to play.”
Green Bay (6-2) faces the Detroit Lions (6-1) in a pivotal NFC North battle next Sunday.
Who else was injured in Week 8?
Jacksonville’s season turned from bad to worse in the game against the Packers. Not only did they fall to 2-6, but they lost wide receiver Christian Kirk for the remainder of the year.
Kirk fractured his clavicle — on the same shoulder, he injured last season — while trying to make a leaping catch. Badesha says it’s a “complicated” fracture, but thinks he’ll “fully recover” by Week 1 of 2025.
The Jags also saw wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. suffer a rib injury on Sunday. Badesha described the ailment as a “mild rib contusion”, which has a “high rate” of being played through. Head coach Doug Pederson deemed Thomas Jr.’s injury as “day-to-day” stuff, but ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported he “could miss two to three weeks”. His status will again be monitored through the week.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. was recovering from pneumonia in Week 7. He then hurt his ribs and the oblique muscle in the Sunday win against Dallas Cowboys. The 49ers are on bye in Week 9. Badesha anticipates Samuel playing in Week 10 with “no performance dip.”
One man who doesn’t have a bye in Week 9 is the New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. The No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft suffered a concussion against the New York Jets. He’ll have to clear concussion protocol to suit up next Sunday. Badesha gives him just a 40% chance to play against Tennessee.
Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins sat out in Week 8 after hurting his quads on Friday. Badesha expects him to try to return in Week 9. But there would be a high re-injury risk (approximately 25%). The Bengals battle the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9, then face the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football in Week 10.
