Devastating Injuries Strike Packers’ Star Players

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Jones feared the worst as he was escorted from Lambeau Field, with a towel over his head and hands over his face, in the second quarter of Sunday’s 23-20 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

As emotional as the Green Bay Packersas he started running back on his way to the locker room, he sounded just as relieved after the match as he revealed that initial tests showed he avoided an ACL tear or anything else serious.

“Like if it’s my ACL, then I’m ready for the season,” Jones said when asked what he thought on the cart. “I put in a lot of work and time to be here with these guys and for it to turn out like this, I felt like, ‘Man, I can’t catch a break.’ “But I took a break. Hopefully it’s nothing serious and I’ll be back here soon.”

Earlier this season, Jones missed three games due to a hamstring injury.

Jones or backup running back is unlikely Emanuel Wilson (shoulder) will be available for the quick game on Detroit on Thursday, so the Packers will almost certainly have to sign at least one back.

“I don’t think it’s long-term,” coach Matt LaFleur said of Jones’ injury. “Definitely, I think it looked really bad. I was really worried just seeing it live. I didn’t see a replay or anything, but when I saw it live it didn’t look good. But he’s in a good mood and so hopefully that’s the case.” just a short-term deal.”

Both players will undergo tests on Monday that will determine the timeline for a return.

Wilson was injured on the same ride as Jones. He caught a 9-yard pass and was run out of bounds by the Chargers’ Kenneth Murray.

“I ran into him,” said Wilson, whose left arm was in a sling after the game. “I was trying to get extra distance and then that situation happened. I felt it, I thought it was a sting and then the pain came and I just went down.”

That drive ended with a 28-yard field goal to tie the game at 10-10 just before halftime and leave the Packers with only one healthy running back: AJ Dillonwho finished the game with 14 carries for 29 yards.

It appeared Jones got his leg trapped under him while being tackled by Murray and a defensive lineman Nick Williams.

“So they went and tackled me on the right side, like my right foot,” Jones said. “They missed and I picked it up a little bit and it was on the defender’s helmet and my left leg was in the ground and someone had me and my cleats were in the ground and I think it was Kenneth Murray who came down and I’m already a bit low and I absorbed all that, that was in the ground – knee, hip and groin – I felt it all. It felt terrible.”

An ACL tear could have ended Jones’ career with the Packers. He is one of the team’s most popular players, but he turns 29 next month and only has one season left on his contract before 2024. He took a pay cut to return to Green Bay this offseason, and there’s no guarantee he’ll be back next season given his age and salary ($12 million in 2024).

The Packers’ medical staff told Jones to stay in the locker room and watch the rest of the game on TV. But after several players, including Christian Watson And Devonte Wyattcame up to him at halftime and told him they would win, Jones returned to the sideline with about 13 minutes left.

He watched from there Jordan Love (322 yards and two touchdowns) completes one of his best performances with a 24-yard, go-ahead touchdown to Romeo Doubs with 2:33 left.

“It’s definitely tough,” Watson said of seeing Jones fall. “Regardless of the player that he is, just the leader that he is, the man… I mean, we need him in that group. We need him on the sidelines, so it’s definitely hard to see him go down go. But I told him.” as soon as he walked away, we’re going to do it for him, and I think everyone felt that way whether they said it or not. I think everyone wanted that done for him and we’re always in his corner.”