NFL preseason Week 1 is officially in the books, and not many teams were left unscathed. Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota suffered a sprained MCL that should hold him out for the remainder of the preseason, Minnesota Vikings defensive Swiss Army knife Jamal Adams suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Meadowlands, Houston Texans backup signal-caller Graham Mertz tore his ACL, and the Arizona Cardinals are dealing with several notable issues.
Winning the war of attrition is important for any Super Bowl contender, and a major injury could derail any team’s season. Unfortunately, it happens every year, and sometimes before we even reach the regular season.
Below, we will break down all of the notable injuries from around the league as we enter the second week of the preseason.
New York Jets
Aug. 17: New York Jets star running back Breece Hall went down untouched after making a catch. ESPN’s Rich Cimini said it looked like a possible groin injury, as trainers were examining Hall’s upper right leg.
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn didn’t seem too worried, telling reporters afterward, “I don’t think it was a big deal.”
Arizona Cardinals
Aug. 16: The No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft had an explosive preseason debut, rushing for 58 yards on 11 carries, and turned three receptions into 14 yards. However, he left with what was determined to be a high ankle sprain.
Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur initially said that Jeremiyah Love “could have returned” to action, but two days later said the rookie would not practice this week or play in Week 2 of the preseason. High ankle sprains are issues that can linger, so it’s fair to speculate about his status for the season opener on Sept. 13.
Aug. 14: It turns out the Cardinals’ top two picks from this year’s draft were injured in the preseason opener, but the news is much worse for No. 34 overall pick Chase Bisontis. The Texas A&M product unfortunately tore his MCL, and will miss his entire rookie season. Bisontis was viewed as one of the top interior linemen in this past class, having played snaps at both guard and center. Now, he is forced to turn his efforts to recovery.
