Did the Jacksonville Jaguars‘ pursuit of the AFC’s best record end in agony? Pain was felt under the six-minute mark of their pivotal Monday Night Football showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals — it involved their franchise quarterback, Trevor Lawrence.
The QB got his right ankle bent awkwardly and stepped on by teammate OL Walker Little during a sack attempt late in the fourth quarter. Lawrence threw his helmet down in disgust and then needed help getting back on his feet.
Lawrence never returned. And in the process, many expressed concern for him online.
NFL World Reacts to Trevor Lawrence’s Injury
Lawrence went down here during an empty formation for the Jags with the game tied at 28.
#Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence went down after getting his lower leg stepped on and rolling over on it. Play has been stopped as he gets checked out on the field. pic.twitter.com/P2StOBxRFF
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) December 5, 2023
Then came this scene showing a visibly frustrated Lawrence getting help to the locker room.
A difficult look at Trevor Lawrence being helped to the locker room. pic.twitter.com/5dFZo1Lbh4
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) December 5, 2023
Fans immediately reacted on social media to the fallen passer — one reaction came from renowned doctor Jeff Mueller.
“I’d say main concern is an ankle sprain, but given how much pain he’s in (plus assistance from staff into locker room), possible concern for a fracture,” Mueller posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Another doctor, Tom Christ, noticed that Lawrence’s knee went into a hyperflexion, indicating a possible PCL injury.
The Sunday Night Football X account sent their well wishes to “T-Law.”
Sending love to Trevor Lawrence. #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/oy2w4MshDD
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) December 5, 2023
Former-NFL-quarterback-turned-ESPN-personality Robert Griffin III, who dealt with his own share of season-ending injuries, was another who sent well wishes.
Prayers up for Trevor Lawrence 🙏🏾
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) December 5, 2023
However, there was criticism involving Lawrence getting helped off the field.
“Thousands of golf carts all over the state of Florida and they can’t find one for Trevor Lawrence,” said ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler on X.
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Perhaps Lawrence may have refused a medical cart. But still, he struggled to get back up on his feet and walk off.
Backup QB C.J. Beathard then went in and took over the remaining snaps for the Jags. He was the only other Jaguars quarterback who was dressed and available.
How Did Jaguars Fare After Lawrence Went Down?
Beathard’s first snap was a Jaguars fumble. Still, he managed to get the Jags in field goal range to tie it up 31-31.
He squeezed in one more drive, which was in overtime — a deep connection to WR Calvin Ridley that placed the Jaguars inside the Cincy 5-yard line was nullified due to a holding call. Jacksonville was eventually forced to punt the ball away.
Beathard was efficient in the place of Lawrence. He completed 9-of-10 passes for 63 yards and averaged 6.3 yards per play. He was sacked twice, however.
The backup’s effort wasn’t enough to save the Jaguars. Cincinnati kicker Evan McPherson nailed his 48-yard attempt down the middle to lift the Bengals to a 34-31 overtime win.
Speaking of the Bengals, they were missing their own franchise quarterback, as Joe Burrow was on the sidelines with his arm in a sling. Backup QB Jake Browning ended up going 32-of-37 for 354 yards and one passing touchdown. He was not picked off at all against the Jaguars’ defense.
PT and Performance Coach Offers Explanation of Lawrence’s Injury
But of course, the talk of the night was Lawrence and how long he could be out — plus the extent of his ailment.
Sean Walsh, a physical therapist and performance coach, explained Lawrence’s situation.
“The way Little stepped on him forced your traditional ankle sprain that you’d typically see in a sport like basketball,” Walsh began.
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What type of ailment does this point to for Lawrence?
“This would cause the lateral ankle ligaments to be sprained and potentially torn. The big question was how much damage did the weight of Little do to Lawrence’s ankle – best case scenario would be a bone contusion to the tibia,” Walsh said.
However, there is good news involving the third-year passer.
“Lawrence showing ability to bear weight suggests there is no complete fracture,” Walsh stated. “For similar reasons, Lawrence was able to put weight on his knees, which suggests no significant damage was done to his knees.”
Overall, Walsh predicts Lawrence sustained a non-break but rather a sprain.
“If there is no damage to the knee and no fracture of the ankle, expect a timeline of a mid-grade ankle sprain. The extent of contusion damage can add or subtract from his injury timeline,” Walsh said.
#Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence suffered a game-ending injury on #MNF. @SeanWalshPT reviews the film on what happened.#PFN365 pic.twitter.com/3QN612MdxF
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) December 5, 2023
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