Packers take huge hit on offense before playoffs as star wide receiver suffers knee injury
The Green Bay Packers and quarterback Jordan Love lost a big weapon during the team’s 24-22 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
Star wide receiver Christian Watson tore his ACL and suffered additional damage to his knee, ending his season and putting the beginning of next season in doubt, according to the NFL Network.
Packers’ head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed the news on Monday, saying Watson will be out for the rest of the year.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Watson, 25, was running a route in the second quarter, and then crumpled to the ground grabbing his knee, suffering the injury on a non-contact play.
LaFleur talked about what losing Watson means for the offense.
"Yeah, it’s a big-time loss, just his presence on the field alone. He’s so versatile in his ability to play multiple positions. You can put him at the X, the F, the Z, you can move him all over the place. Obviously, he’s got an element in terms of his size and speed that’s tough to replicate. There’s not many built like him around the league and I just, I hurt for him," LaFleur said in his press conference Monday.
"Obviously, hurt for our team, but also just more for him, just because I know how much he’s put into this thing, and just like all our guys, you never want to see that, and it’s an unfortunate part of our game."
Watson was questionable with a knee injury going into Week 18, but LaFleur said the knee he injured in the game was actually the other knee that had not been bothering him.
ROB GRONKOWSKI RIPS PATRIOTS' DECISION TO FIRE JEROD MAYO AFTER 1 SEASON
LaFleur said that he is confident in how Watson will attack his rehab.
"But like I told him, I know he’ll attack it the right way, he’ll handle the adversity, it’ll just be a bump in the road for him and I think he’ll come back better. That’s just how he is built, how he’s wired, and so I do think that there’ll be good, it’s just going to be down the road," LaFleur said.
Watson is in his third season after being drafted in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of North Dakota State.
This season, Watson had 29 catches for 620 yards and two touchdowns across 15 games. The deep threat is second in the NFL in average yards per reception, averaging 21.4 yards per catch.
The Packers finished the season 11-6, and are the No. 7 seed in the NFC. They will take on the No. 2-seeded Philadelphia Eagles on the road in the Wild Card Round.
Without Watson, the Packers will rely on wide receivers Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks and Malik Heath to fill in.
The Packers and Eagles will play at 4:30 p.m. ET on Sunday on FOX.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.