Aaron Rodgers: 'Everything's on the Table' with Toe Injury; 'Hoping' to Avoid Surgery
Nov 29, 2021
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 28: Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers looks to throw the ball during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Lambeau Field on November 28, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers plans to have X-rays on his injured toe to determine what steps may be required to address the issue.
Following his team's 36-28 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, the reigning MVP told Fox Sports' Erin Andrews that "everything's on the table" but that he's hopeful of avoiding surgery:
The Packers are off in Week 13 and don't return to play until Dec. 12 against the Chicago Bears.
Green Bay first alerted the public that something was amiss when it listed Rodgers on its injury report in Week 10. He said on Nov. 16 on The Pat McAfee Show the injury occurred while he was on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
After Rodgers referred to the injury as "COVID toe," the Wall Street Journal's Andrew Beaton explained how COVID toe has become shorthand for chilblains, which "can be extremely painful and turn the toes purple." The inflammation can be a side effect of COVID-19.
Rodgers denied that was the case and that the toe was actually fractured. To prove his case, he held up his injured toe to the video camera as he was speaking with reporters.
No matter the wording used to describe it, the injury is clearly affecting the nine-time Pro Bowler. He didn't practice this week prior to Sunday's game, though he put up solid numbers (28-of-45 for 307 yards, two touchdowns) against the Rams.
Aaron Rodgers has played 6 halves of football since returning from COVID-19.
First 3: 36-59, 480, TD, INT, 85.4 Past 3: 38-56, 504, 5 TD, 125.8
Just needed some time to get back into form. Broken toe and all.
The Packers' bye may not be coming at a better time since the situation probably isn't going to resolve itself. Continuing to play with the fractured toe and not taking any remedial steps seems like a recipe to ensure Rodgers experiences more and more pain as the year unfolds.
Vikings' Dalvin Cook Reportedly Suffered Dislocated Shoulder Injury; Will Have MRI
Nov 28, 2021
Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook (33) runs against the Carolina Panthers during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook suffered a dislocated shoulder during Sunday's 34-26 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Head coach Mike Zimmer told reporters after the loss the running back will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury.
Cook was carted off the field after suffering the injury late in the third quarter:
Vikings teammates went over to show their support to RB Dalvin Cook before he was carted off the field with an injury. pic.twitter.com/xBHnAbreUn
Cook was immediately ruled out by the team after exiting the game.
Injuries have been a concern throughout Cook's career. He suffered a torn ACL as a rookie in 2017, dealt with a hamstring issue in 2018 and has never played more than 14 games in a season.
When healthy, the 26-year-old is one of the best running backs in the league.
The two-time Pro Bowler ran for 1,557 yards and 16 touchdowns while adding 361 yards and another score through the air during the 2020 campaign. He also ran for 1,135 yards with a career-best 519 receiving yards in 2019.
Cook has followed with 872 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns through eight games in 2021.
While Minnesota doesn't have anyone else in the backfield who can replicate the Florida State product's impact, look for Alexander Mattison to see more playing time if Cook is sidelined.
Bears Rumors: Byron Leftwich, Josh McDaniels Among HC Candidates If Matt Nagy Fired
Nov 28, 2021
Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, right, and head coach Bruce Arians watch from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Monday, Nov. 22, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll are among the names the Chicago Bears could pursue if they fire coach Matt Nagy.
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported the Bears could also make a run at Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald, but he is unlikely to leave his alma mater. It's nearly a foregone conclusion that Nagy is coaching his last season in Chicago.
The Bears will have competition for all three of the aforementioned coordinators, all of whom are considered prime candidates for head coaching positions.
Teams have been attempting to coax McDaniels out of New England for several years, but he's remained under Bill Belichick. McDaniels previously coached the Denver Broncos in 2009 and 2010 and likely wants to avoid a similarly bad situation in his second stint as a head coach.
Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians has gone out of his way to praise Leftwich, who often does not get as much public recognition as deserved for his role in the Tampa offense. Despite Arians being an offensive-minded coach, it's Leftwich who calls the plays and runs all of the offensive meetings.
Daboll was among the hottest names in coaching last season, but he likely lost out on jobs with the Bills making a deep run in the playoffs. His work in developing Josh Allen into a Pro Bowl-caliber passer and devising a scheme that fits Allen's skill set has been some of the best offensive coaching work in football.
The Bears will look to avoid a mistake similar to the one they made with Nagy, who was plucked Nagy from Andy Reid's coaching tree in Kansas City. The team soon found that the apple fell far from the tree. Nagy failed in helping develop Mitchell Trubisky into an NFL starter, and his schemes have consistently put first-year passer Justin Fields into a position to fail.
The person who takes the Bears job will be tasked with undoing the damage done by Fields' rookie season and helping him realize his potential under center.
Odell Beckham Jr. Rumors: Packers Wouldn't Offer WR a Contract More Than the Minimum
Nov 28, 2021
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. speaks after an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Nov. 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
The Green Bay Packers reportedly wouldn't offer Odell Beckham Jr. a contract worth more than the veteran's minimum when they pursued him after his midseason departure from the Cleveland Browns.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported negotiations with the Packers were "bogged down" by the lack of movement on Green Bay's end. Beckham signed a deal with the Rams for a $1.25 million base salary and an additional $3 million in possible incentives, which the Packers would have been willing to match, as previously reported by Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The decision for Beckham, then, became one of where he would rather play football for the remainder of the 2021 season. It was seemingly a no-brainer.
"He wasn't going to take the same, or less money, to go to Green Bay [over Los Angeles]," a source told Schefter.
Beckham recorded two receptions for 18 yards in his Rams debut in Week 10. He's expected to be much more involved in the team's Week 12 matchup against the Packers with the Rams coming off a bye.
While it appeared Beckham was signing up to be the third receiver on the Los Angeles depth chart, Robert Woods suffered a season-ending ACL tear a day after Beckham signed with the Rams. Beckham is thus expected to slot in as the WR2 behind Cooper Kupp, and it's possible he winds up taking over the one or two carries Woods got in the running game each week.
The Packers would have offered him an easier avenue to being a WR2, but Woods' injury cleared the path for more touches.
Green Bay will get a first-hand look at what it is missing in Sunday's matchup between the teams.
Everson Griffen Placed on Reserve/Non-Football Illness List After Incident at Home
Nov 26, 2021
Minnesota Vikings's Everson Griffen looks on prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
The Minnesota Vikings announced defensive end Everson Griffen was placed on the NFL's
reserve/non-football illness list Friday.
Griffen called police in the early
morning hours Wednesday saying someone was inside his home. He also
made posts on social media that raised questions about his
well-being.
He remained in his house for several
hours before the Minnetrista Public Safety Department confirmed he
came outside "without incident and is now getting the care that
he needs."
Vikings general manager Rick Spielman
thanked local police and mental-health professionals for their help. He also noted the
team has contingent plans in place to handle any mental-health
concerns that may arise.
"All I know is that when we got
the call this morning, that we immediately—our No. 1 concern was
because of Everson, Tiffany and his family, how much we love them,"
Spielman said Wednesday. "And how much they are a part of this
family."
Griffen was taken to a mental health
facility after coming out of his home, per Ben Goessling of the Star
Tribune. He received four weeks of
treatment for his mental health in 2018.
The Vikings view the defensive end's
absence as "indefinite," according to Andrew Krammer
of the Star Tribune.
Griffen was a fourth-round pick of
Minnesota in the 2010 draft. He spent the first 10 years of his
career with the Vikes before splitting the 2020 campaign between the
Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions.
The 33-year-old four-time Pro Bowl
selection returned to the Vikings as a free agent in August. He's
made nine appearances for the team during the 2021 season.
Minnesota's next game is scheduled for
Sunday, when it visits the San Francisco 49ers. Griffen was ruled out
of that contest.
Lions' D'Andre Swift Day-to-Day with Shoulder Injury Diagnosed as Sprain
Nov 26, 2021
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 14: D'Andre Swift #32 of the Detroit Lions carries the ball during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on November 14, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Friday that running back D'Andre Swift is day-to-day with a sprained shoulder, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
The 22-year-old exited Detroit's 16-14 loss to the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving with a shoulder injury. Following the game, Campbell said the team was in "wait-and-see" mode.
"We know it's a shoulder sprain. So we'll see where it goes," he told reporters.
Swift has run for 555 yards and four touchdowns in his second season with the Lions. He has also been a dynamic pass-catcher out of the backfield, hauling in 56 receptions for 429 yards and two scores.
This year has been a bit of a disaster for the Lions. They signaled a forthcoming rebuild with the trade of Matthew Stafford, but nobody expected them to be winless through 11 games (0-10-1).
In Swift, Detroit at least appears to have a talented running back who can fit into the franchise's long-term plans.
Because of his importance to the offense, losing the Georgia product to injury is an obvious blow to the Lions. But they're already a lost cause in 2021, so his potential absence doesn't change much in the grand scheme of things.
If Swift misses additional time, Jamaal Williams will take over as the primary ball-carrier.
The 26-year-old ended the Bears game with 20 touches (15 carries for 65 yards and five catches for 18 yards).
Matt Nagy: Bears Are 'Freaking Warriors ... They're Not Losers, They Know How to Win'
Nov 25, 2021
Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy addresses the media after an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
The Chicago Bears are 4-7 and needed a last-second field goal to defeat the winless Detroit Lions in Week 12, but embattled head coach Matt Nagy stressed that his players are not losers.
"They're freaking warriors," Nagy told reporters after Thursday's 16-14 win. "They know how to win. They're not losers; they know how to win."
To Chicago's credit, it did overcome some adversity in the victory.
Rookie quarterback Justin Fields was out with a rib injury, and Khalil Mack (foot) and Akiem Hicks (ankle) were both sidelined on defense. Star linebacker Roquan Smith also exited during the middle of Thursday's contest because of a hamstring setback.
What's more, the on-field developments largely took a backseat during the week leading up to the game because of Nagy's status. Rumors swirled about whether he would be fired after the contest, and insider and podcast host Jordan Schultz reported that "an overwhelming number of Bears players want" him gone.
Despite all that, Andy Dalton led an 18-play, 69-yard drive that lasted eight minutes and 30 seconds at the end of the game. Cairo Santos capped it off with the winning field goal as time expired.
Andy Dalton, Bears Beat Lions amid Rumors of Matt Nagy Hot Seat, Justin Fields Injury
Nov 25, 2021
Chicago Bears quarterback Andy Dalton throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
There may be long-term questions for the Chicago Bears, but they at least figured out a way to defeat the winless Detroit Lions.
Chicago beat Detroit 16-14 in Thursday's NFC North clash at Ford Field. Andy Dalton led the way for the victors, who improved to 4-7 on the season and snapped a five-game losing streak even though starting quarterback Justin Fields was sidelined by a ribs injury.
The Bears marched down the field to end the game while facing a one-point deficit, and Cairo Santos drilled the winning field goal as time expired.
The on-field results took a backseat for the Bears leading up to Thursday's game.
Fields suffered cracked ribs during Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. What's more, Mark Konkol and Jeff Arnold of Patch reported Tuesday that this would be Matt Nagy's last game, although the head coach told reporters it was "not accurate."
Rapoport also reported Nagy likely will not be fired during the season, but the coaching situation overshadowed any storylines on the field going into the matchup with the Lions.
Things got even worse for the Bears when star linebacker Roquan Smith was ruled out with a hamstring injury, and Dalton threw an interception in the end zone near the end of the first half to spoil a promising drive that could have allowed the visitors to seize control.
Still, the veteran quarterback had Chicago in the lead in the second half thanks to two field-goal drives and a touchdown strike to Jimmy Graham. The defense also played well for stretches, recovering a Jared Goff fumble and bouncing back from Detroit's touchdown on its opening drive.
Yet it was the offense that was under the spotlight, and it looked bleak when the second half started with a missed field goal and two punts.
That's when the offense took over, though, using the final eight minutes and 30 seconds over the course of 19 plays in a dominant drive that helped erase a week's worth of bad headlines. Dalton was efficient and put the ball where it needed to be, and Santos buried the winning field goal in the clutch.
Lions Offense Doesn't do Enough in Win
It's hard to script a better opportunity for Detroit's first win than what it faced Thursday.
The Bears trotted out their backup quarterback and had questions circulating about their coaching situation. Throw in the fact that the game was at Ford Field, and the Lions appeared primed to finally notch a 2021 victory.
Their opening drive did nothing to change those feelings, as Goff unleashed a perfect strike to Josh Reynolds for a deep-ball touchdown to start the scoring. However, things took a turn for the worse from there when running back D'Andre Swift was ruled out with a shoulder injury, Goff lost a fumble and the offense stalled for a number of punts.
It wasn't like Detroit was facing Chicago's best defenders either, as Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks were both out, while Smith exited during the game.
Many of Goff's throws were the safe, underneath variety, although he gave the Lions the lead late in the third quarter. His second touchdown throw of the game went to T.J. Hockenson after he found an opening in the corner of the end zone, and the Lions took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter.
Yet Detroit punted on its final drive in that fourth quarter and never got the ball back because of the Bears' long drive.
While the Lions were unable to get the key defensive stop at the end of the game, 14 points against a Chicago defense that was missing Mack, Hicks and Smith was not good enough to finally get a win.
What's Next?
Both teams are home in Week 13, when the Bears face the Arizona Cardinals and the Lions host the Minnesota Vikings.
Jamaal Williams' Updated Lions Fantasy Outlook After D'Andre Swift Injury
Nov 25, 2021
Detroit Lions running back Jamaal Williams during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
Jamaal Williams is the Detroit Lions' lead back for the time being after D'Andre Swift was ruled out for the remainder of Thursday's game against the Chicago Bears with a shoulder injury.
Swift went down during the first half when Bears linebacker Roquan Smith tackled him hard along the sidelines. He had no rushing yards on three carries and three receptions for nine yards before exiting and was replaced by Williams.
Williams signed a two-year contract with the Lions this offseason to act as a backup for Swift. Entering Thursday's game, he had compiled 323 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, as well 16 catches for 99 yards in eight games this season.
Although he primarily played second fiddle to Aaron Jones during the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Green Bay Packers, Williams was an effective player with at least 674 yards from scrimmage in each of his campaigns in Green Bay.
Never much of an explosive runner or elite pass catcher, Williams will be in RB2 territory if Swift misses additional time beyond this week with the shoulder injury.
Williams could be limited by Detroit's low-end offense, but he will undoubtedly get the bulk of the work and have value in point-per-reception leagues since quarterback Jared Goff likes to dump the ball off to his running backs.
Godwin Igwebuike and rookie seventh-round pick Jermar Jefferson should also see more action if Swift lands on the shelf.
Lions RB D'Andre Swift Suffered Sprained Shoulder Injury vs. Bears on Thanksgiving
Nov 25, 2021
Detroit Lions running back D'Andre Swift (32) runs against the Philadelphia Eagles during an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
The Detroit Lions announced running back D'Andre Swift was ruled out for the end of Thursday's loss to the Chicago Bears.
Head coach Dan Campbell told reporters the injury was a shoulder sprain, although the running back will undergo further testing.
Swift dealt with a groin injury early in the season which limited him throughout training camp, but he was ready to go in Week 1 and has lived up to expectations during the regular season.
Though not a traditional between-the-tackles runner, the 5'9", 211-pound athlete has totaled 555 rushing yards and 420 receiving yards in 10 games of 2021.
Swift was also effective when given a chance in 2020, finishing with 878 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns despite splitting playing time with Adrian Peterson and Kerryon Johnson.
Though he missed three games as a rookie, two because of a concussion and the other for an illness, the 2020 second-round pick has showed quality durability in the NFL.
The latest injury will force the Lions to turn to veteran Jamaal Williams until Swift returns to full strength.
Williams has proved to be a reliable runner and receiver during his four years with the Green Bay Packers and should be able to handle a full workload if needed. Godwin Igwebuike could also see extra snaps if Swift remains out for an extended stretch.
