The Thursday Night Football game between divisional rivals, the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams, was a close one. The 49ers just barely scraped by with a last-minute forced fumble in overtime, giving them a 26-23 victory.
But this shouldn’t have happened.
The 49ers had 12 players injured before the game, including their main receiving core, and still managed to pull out a win. Shout out to quarterback Mac Jones and wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, but a bigger cause for concern is seen in a pattern for this game. There are too many injuries happening across the league.
Just last week, wide receiver Tyreek Hill for the Miami Dolphins went down with a horrendous injury, taking him out for the remainder of the season after tearing multiple ligaments in his knee, including his ACL.
I personally counted 331 reported injured players in the NFL. Out of the 1,696 players active in the NFL, that is 19.5% of the active players are currently injured in the league.
Some reports even say that there are 449 injured players throughout the league, which is 26.5%.
This dramatic spike in injuries is a significant cause for concern, increasing from 182 reported injuries in 2024 to over 300 in just Week 5.
Another thing is that there has been a constant increase in season-ending injuries, or more significant injuries relating to the foot and leg.
Star Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was out in Week 1 with a ‘Turf Toe’ injury, with an estimated return date of Dec. 14, which is basically the end of the season.
Number one New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers went down with a torn ACL in Week 4, putting him out for the season.
Two-time MVP and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson injured his hamstring in Week 4, putting him out for a game, along with cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, with the same injury.
Out of the injuries, there are 33 hamstring reports, six ACL reports, eight calf reports, six toe reports, 11 leg reports, and 13 foot reports, bringing a whopping total to lower body injuries to 77 injuries.
The NFL has attempted to mitigate injuries and the potentially lifelong, debilitating stress associated with playing football. They’ve done this through scientific research on CTE and the implementation of additional head protection, including the use of guardian caps —an optional cover worn on top of the head to help mitigate hard-hitting blows.
The NFL and other football organizations have also taken extreme measures when analyzing head injuries and targeting as a penalty, now disqualifying those who commit the penalty.
All of this focus on the health of the brain is important, but in order to protect other facets of the sport as well as increase longevity within the league, the NFL and other sports organizations need to focus more on leg-related injuries.
I have two suggestions. First, turf fields
.
Fields like those at MetLife Stadium are made of turf. MetLife, in particular, has a bad reputation when it comes to season-ending or career-altering injuries due to the turf composition rather than natural grass, while a whole host of coaches and players call for changes to the field.
Second, more research into protective cleat wear with partner companies.
Cleats are not regulated within the league, which is an issue because improper footwear potentially causes some of the tears and injuries seen in the games.
Some statements, like those from the National Football League Player Association, NFLPA, have garnered a 92% vote that players want natural fields over turf, and have said the combination of poor shoe usage and synthetic turf leaves more force and shock absorbed in the lower body, increasing injury susceptibility.
There must be league-wide regulations that can help prevent the injuries from piling on as more and more continue.
Until major changes occur, any player is victim to a freak injury, becoming less rare and more common.