Full Breakdown
Packers Suffer Dual Injuries on Opening Drive vs. Jets
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Injury Crisis Hits Packers Early in Jets Game
On September 20, 2026, the Green Bay Packers saw wide receiver Jayden Reed and right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele carted off the field within consecutive plays during the opening drive of their Week 2 matchup at MetLife Stadium. Reed was tackled by Jets linebacker Demario Davis on the second offensive snap, sustaining a neck injury that required a spine board. One play later, Bako-Bewele was injured while blocking and was taken off on a cart with an air cast on his right leg; the team ruled him out with a knee injury. Both players missed the remainder of the game.
Background & Context
Reed entered the 2026 season after missing ten games in 2025 with a broken clavicle and a Jones fracture. The 26-year-old, a 2023 second-round pick, signed a three-year, $50 million extension in April. Bako-Bewele, a 2022 fourth-round pick, had started all 17 games in 2023 and 2024 and secured a four-year, $88 million extension that featured a $30.2 million signing bonus.
Data & Statistics
- Jayden Reed: 138 receptions, 1,857 yards, 15 touchdowns in 40 career games; three catches for 20 yards in the season-opening loss to Minnesota.
- Zach Bako-Bewele: starter at right tackle in 2023–2024; contract valued at $88 million over four years.
- Injury History: Reed missed 10 games in 2025; Bako-Bewele returned from offseason surgery on a partially torn patellar tendon before the Jets game.
Impact on Packers Offense
Reed’s absence removes a versatile slot-receiver who could line up in the backfield and generate yards after the catch. The remaining options are Christian Watson, who posted 147 yards and two touchdowns against Minnesota, and second-year wideout Matthew Golden. Bako-Bewele’s loss forces the Packers to start Anthony Belton, a 2025 second-round pick, at right tackle for the rest of the contest. The injuries add to depth concerns, as the team was already without star running back Josh Jacobs.
Official Statements & Responses
The Packers’ medical staff listed Reed’s injury as a neck injury and Bako-Bewele’s as a knee injury, ruling both players out for the game. No timetable for return was provided.
On-the-Ground Reports
Eyewitnesses described trainers placing Reed on a backboard while teammates knelt and prayed. After play resumed, Bako-Bewele was tackled, lay on the turf, and was assisted onto a cart with an air cast. Jets players, including Davis, remained near the scene during both incidents.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Medical analysts on social media offered differing assessments. Dr. Evan Jeffries mentioned possible cervical-spine compression; Dr. Maddox McCloud noted that immobilization could indicate cervical involvement but might be precautionary. Christopher Nowinski, founder of the Concussion & CTE Foundation, warned that Reed’s limp response might suggest central-nervous-system trauma. None of these constitute an official diagnosis, and the Packers have not confirmed spinal or brain injury.
What’s Next
The Packers have not announced upcoming evaluations or projected return dates for Reed or Bako-Bewele. Future updates will depend on neurological exams and imaging studies as directed by the team’s medical staff.
