The NFL season is in full swing following the conclusion of Week 8 with exciting games and new storylines to follow. However, much of the positive news has been overshadowed by the rash of injuries that have hit NFL superstars extremely hard this year.
Below are just some of the notable NFL players who have missed multiple games due to injuries this year:
Deshaun Watson (achilles)
Pat Surtain (concussion)
Aiden Hutchinson (leg)
Jonathan Taylor (ankle)
Isaiah Pacheco (leg)
Rashee Rice (knee)
Joey Bosa (hip)
Jordan Love (knee)
Deebo Samuel (wrist, illness)
Joe Mixon (ankle)
Cooper Kupp (ankle)
Jayden Daniels (ribs)
Puka Nacua (knee)
Tua Tagovailoa (concussion)
Derek Carr (oblique)
Chris Olave (concussion)
AJ Brown (hamstring)
Russell Wilson (calf)
Christian McCaffrey (achilles)
Brandon Auyik (knee)
Mike Evans (hamstring)
DK Metcalf (knee)
Chris Godwin (ankle)
Marlon Humphrey (knee)
This influx of injuries to star players has dampened the product on the field this year leading to some games so devoid of offensive talent that it leads to unwatchable, grind-it-out games.
This comes on the heels of the NFL proudly announcing at the conclusion of the 2023 season that injuries were down significantly over four years. NFL injury data showed that there were 700 fewer missed player games in 2023 than in 2022. There was also a four-year low in the number of extremity strains which typically lead to more serious injury down the road.
The NFL also announced during the 2024 preseason that there were the fewest number of concussions in offseason practices and preseason games, with 44 total reported concussions. This is a 24% decrease from 2023 and fewer than half the number of concussions in 2017.
That's all fine and dandy but the injury crisis so far in the 2024 regular season has left fantasy players, gamblers, and common fans disappointed as star players are seemingly disproportionately affected by injuries compared to the average trend of injuries across the NFL.
Injury data compiled by the NFL for the 2024 regular season is unavailable until after the conclusion of the season but will undoubtedly show a spike in total injuries. With the emphasis on player safety in the NFL, there will surely be investigations into the causation of the spike in injuries.
Until then, keep your fingers crossed that your favorite player avoids the injury bug.
