Injuries are an unfortunate part of life in the NFL. It is not a contact sport. It is a collision sport. With that, players inevitably get hurt. In our NFL Week 13 recap, injuries to San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence spark questions about the short and long-term future for them and their organizations.
McCaffrey and the 49ers’ Season May Be Over
Even before McCaffrey sustained his knee injury while running on the snowy field in Buffalo, San Francisco’s season had hit the skids. Only NFC West parity kept San Francisco in the playoff conversation.
According to 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, McCaffrey’s posterior cruciate ligament injury could be season-ending. Of course, Shanahan made this statement in the postgame press conference before extensive medical assessments could be done. It could be as bad as he suggested, worse, or less severe.
Regardless, the Bills blew them out and McCaffrey is the latest addition to their extensive injury list. Nick Bosa is dealing with a hip issue. Trent Williams has an ankle injury. Quarterback Brock Purdy has a shoulder problem. And Brandon Aiyuk blew out his knee earlier this season.
With five games to play, they are two games behind first-place Seattle. Under normal circumstances, they could still win the division. Now, their injuries and a difficult schedule make it so unlikely that they could decide that pushing for it isn’t worthwhile.
Trevor Lawrence Concussed on a Vicious Hit
There are even more questions surrounding Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Lawrence had recovered sufficiently from a shoulder injury that he played his first game in a month against Houston. He scrambled and slid and Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair hammered him.
A full-on brawl started. The officials ejected Al-Shaair. He will probably be suspended.
Jacksonville’s short-term outlook does not change much. It is difficult to envision Lawrence playing again this season.
The Jaguars will probably start over with a new head coach next season. A line of highly qualified candidates will want to work with Lawrence. They will also have a top-three pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Still, Lawrence’s injuries are worrisome. He is also a different type of person than most pro athletes who live for the competition.
Before he started his NFL career, Lawrence raised some eyebrows when he said football was not the most important thing in his life. That is admirable, wise, and not what team executives and coaches want to hear from the most important player in the organization.
Lawrence just turned 25 and his list of injuries was extensive before Sunday’s concussion.
The “R” word should not be taken seriously even in a speculative sense. No one around Lawrence has suggested it.
However, it should be noted that a physically battered player could do what Andrew Luck did. Luck was also a first-overall pick and a transcendent talent. He walked away before suffering permanent damage.
The $275 million contract Lawrence signed before the 2024 season likely precludes any impetuous decisions, but the Jaguars might want to make sure he feels protected so the idea does not creep up with any degree of seriousness.
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