Injuries continue to mount around the NFL, and with Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror — and playoff berths already clinched — the push is on to get healthy for the stretch run. But a couple of teams that were thought to be among the playoff contenders at the start of the year have had their seasons derailed by trips to the trainer’s table.
Christian McCaffrey suffers PCL injury that likely ends his season
Christian McCaffrey’s 2024 season could be over almost as quickly as it started. He checked himself out of his team’s Sunday Night Football loss to the Bills — a game he was putting up big numbers in, with seven rushes for 53 yards in the early going — with what wound up being a PCL injury, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. On Monday, the 49ers put McCaffrey back on IR, and with five games left in the season, we’ve likely seen the last of the running back this year.
McCaffrey missed the first eight games of the season with tendonitis in both Achilles. All of the 49ers’ key skill players on offense — Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, Brandon Aiyuk (who is on IR), Brock Purdy, George Kittle and McCaffrey — have missed time on the injured list this season, in addition to All-Pro tackle Trent Williams and key stars on defense being out right now. San Francisco will now need a minor miracle, at 5-7 and 1-3 in the NFC West, to sneak into the playoffs after appearing in the last three NFC championship games.
Trevor Lawrence suffers concussion
The ugly hit on Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence is sure to be talked about at length this week, and on Tuesday, the league announced a three-game suspension for Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. He will appeal. On Monday morning, Al-Shaair apologized to Lawrence in a post on social media. But the 2-10 Jaguars — who were 9-8 last year and have underperformed expectations in 2024 — had to finish up without their franchise signal caller.
Lawrence, who is in the first year of a five-year, $275 million extension, didn’t return to the game after displaying the fencing response on the field after the hit — although after the game, he posted on social media that he was feeling better and resting at home. With the Jags going nowhere fast this season and Doug Pederson’s job possibly in jeopardy, it’ll be worth monitoring if the Jaguars are cautious with Lawrence as the season winds down, with the club headed for the bottom of the AFC South and the top of the NFL Draft this spring.
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Al-Shaair reportedly appealing his three-game suspension
Source: Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair is appealing his three-game suspension by the NFL.
His appeal will be heard by one of the appeals officers jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA: Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster, Kevin Mawae or Jordy Nelson.
Azeez Al-Shaair suspended 3 games for hit that concussed Trevor Lawrence
The NFL has announced that Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair has been suspended three games for the hit that concussed Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence on Sunday and the subsequent brawl he sparked and engaged in.
NFL VP of football operations Jon Runyan, who knows a thing or or two about illegal plays, issued the suspension.
“Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL…Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules puts the health and safety of both you and your opponents in jeopardy and will not be tolerated.”
On Monday, cornerback Jaylon Johnson confirmed previous reports that he confronted Eberflus in the postgame locker room. Fox’s Jay Glazer reported on Sunday that Johnson interrupted Eberflus’ postgame talk to the team and used “colorful language” in a 10-plus minute speech of his own that overrode Eberflus’. The next day, Eberflus was fired.
Johnson told reporters on Monday that he’d got to the point of being “fed up.”
“I don’t really give a damn about too much of it. At some point, enough is enough. …. I was not some major part of him getting fired. That’s not on me. But there was frustration and words that I expressed just from losing.
“Hearing certain things and seeing things these past few weeks — you could say ‘last few weeks,’ but for me it’s the last five years of my career. I’m used to winning, and I haven’t done that since I’ve been in a Bears uniform.”
Christian McCaffrey out at least 6 weeks; Jordan Mason also to injured reserve
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Monday that McCaffrey suffered a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury during Sunday’s 35-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills, and will be placed on injured reserve as result. McCaffrey’s recovery is expected to be six weeks, meaning that the rest of his season is in jeopardy.
Additionally, Jordan Mason — who took over as RB1 after McCaffrey left Sunday night’s game — is going on IR after suffering a high ankle sprain.
Chargers WR Ladd McConkey “working through” knee injury, status unclear for Week 14
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters Monday that wide receiver Ladd McConkey “is working through a couple things” after he suffered a knee injury in Sunday’s 17-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons. His status for practice this week and Week 14 against Chiefs is unclear.
“We’ll see,” Harbaugh said.
McConkey, a second-round pick out of Georgia, has emerged as the Chargers’ unquestioned No. 1 receiving option as a rookie. He has 58 catches for 815 yards with four touchdowns in 12 games this season. Josh Palmer is the Chargers’ next-leading receiver with 24 catches for 414 yards and one touchdown.
McConkey tallied nine catches for 117 yards on Sunday before leaving with the knee injury.
Jim Harbaugh said that Ladd McConkey (knee) is “working through a couple things” and that the team will evaluate where he’s at as the week progresses.
When asked about the possibility of McConkey practicing this week Harbaugh said, “We’ll see.”
Rams reportedly claim former Commanders 1st-round CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr. off waivers
The Los Angeles Rams have claimed cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. off waivers, according to multiple reports. The Washington Commanders waived Forbes on Saturday.
A first-round draft pick (No. 16) in 2023, Forbes fell out of the Commanders’ starting lineup after starting six games in 14 appearances as a rookie. Forbes made one start in six appearances this season and is still seeking his first NFL interception. In 20 games, Forbes has tallied 45 tackles and 12 passes defended.
Forbes was the latest in a purge of high-profile Commanders picks from the Ron Rivera era (2020-23) and beyond. The Commanders have now either released or traded each of their first-round selections from 2019-23.
The Commanders have now cut or traded away all six first-round picks from 2019-2023.
2023, CB Emmanuel Forbes – cut 2022, WR Jahan Dotson – traded 2021, LB Jamin Davis – cut 2020, DE Chase Young – traded 2019, QB Dwayne Haskins – cut 2019, DE Montez Sweat – traded
Giants place Pro Bowl DL Dexter Lawrence on season-ending injured reserve
Dexter Lawrence’s season is officially done. The Giants placed their defensive line anchor and rookie tight end Theo Johnson on season-ending injured reserve Monday.
Lawrence suffered a dislocated left elbow in Thursday’s loss to the Cowboys and didn’t finish the game. Lawrence has made the Pro Bowl after each of the last two seasons. He ends an outstanding 2024 season with a career-high nine sacks alongside 44 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hits.
Johnson suffered a foot injury in the loss to the Cowboys. The precise nature of the injury isn’t clear, but it will end his season. A fourth-round pick in April, Johnson started 11 games as a rookie, tallying 29 catches for 331 yards and a touchdown.
Bears explain Matt Eberflus’ awkward presser that took place hours before his firing
The Chicago Bears emerged from the Thanksgiving long weekend without a permanent head coach following Matt Eberflus’ firing last Friday. On Monday, they faced the media armed with explanations, promises, and a few coaching changes for good measure.
The main explanation the Bears offered on Monday afternoon was about the confusing few hours before Eberflus’ firing on Friday. The morning after the Bears’ 23-20 loss to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, during which Eberflus’ poor decision-making and play-calling demonstrably harmed the team yet again, Eberflus met with the media.
It was an awkward presser, made even more awkward a few hours later when the Bears fired Eberflus, dismissing a head coach during the season for the first time since World War II.
Bears leadership speaks on upcoming coaching search
Notes from #Bears President Kevin Warren today: — GM Ryan Poles is staying and will run the search with Warren. — “This will be the most coveted job in the National Football League this year.” — Asked who will have final say, Warren said Poles will, but added that they’ll do…
Todd Bowles says QB Baker Mayfield has a sore leg. He thinks Mayfield will be comfortable by Sunday’s game but isn’t yet sure about his practice status this week.
Taysom Hill is out for the year after suffering a knee injury and being carted off the field in Sunday’s loss to the Rams, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports Hill has a torn ACL and “additional damage.”
Taysom Hill does, in fact, have a torn ACL and additional damage, source said. A serious injury for the 35-year-old-to-be to recover from. https://t.co/vTmNMMiDsZ
Bears’ DJ Moore says the writing was on the wall with Matt Eberflus
After the Bears fired Matt Eberflus on Friday following the embarrassing Thanksgiving loss, DJ Moore was the first member of the team to speak publicly during a regular radio appearance. He said Thursday’s loss to the Lions felt like “the last straw.”
Bears president Kevin Warren and GM Ryan Poles will meet the media in Chicago Monday morning.
DJ Moore to @mullyhaugh on the Bears’ firing of Matt Eberflus: “As the season was going, you just kind of figured that was going to happen. Thursday at the end of the game was the last straw, I feel like. They did it. Now we got (Thomas Brown) as the interim head coach, and we’re…
Azeez Al-Shaair apologizes for hit on Trevor Lawrence
Al-Shaair said he “genuinely didn’t see (Lawrence) sliding until it was too late” during the ugly play in Sunday’s game. Lawrence left the field on a cart but later tweeted that he was home and “feeling better.” Al-Shaair could face discipline for the hit.
Seriously: Josh Allen throws and catches his own TD
The Bills blew out the 49ers in Week 13’s snowy Sunday Night Football game, and the highlight (for the Bills and their fans, at least) was Josh Allen throwing and catching his own touchdown.
Geno Smith was drafted by the Jets in 2013, spending his final two years in New York as a backup. Now the starting QB for the Seahawks, Sunday’s game against the Jets was a sort of homecoming for Smith. At the very least, he may have felt he had something to prove.
Led by Smith, the Seahawks pulled off a fantastic 26-21 comeback win against the Jets, securing the Jets’ ninth-straight losing season. After the game, Geno posted the perfect meme on X.
