Sunday marked a rough day for NFL quarterbacks with Kirk Cousins, Matthew Stafford and Kenny Pickett all suffering injuries.
Cousins' injury appears to be the most severe with Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell saying the team fears he sustained an injury to his Achilles tendon.
The four-time Pro Bowl QB has never missed a game due to injury in his 12-year career but is in danger of being lost for the remainder of the season if the tendon is indeed torn, which has been reported by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
He is scheduled for an MRI on Monday.
Cousins left in the fourth quarter of the Vikings' 24-10 win over the Green Bay Packers after being sacked by Kenny Clark - the second consecutive play he was sacked.
"We are fearing an Achilles injury," O'Connell said. "The severity of that, I do not know at this point, but I do know that's what our fear is at the moment."
Cousins threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns in leading the Vikings to a third straight win to even their record at 4-4. The 35-year-old is playing some of the best football of his career, throwing for 2,331 yards with 18 touchdowns to five interceptions while posting a 103.8 rating.
His backup, rookie Jaren Hall, made his NFL debut upon replacing Cousins and completed three of four passes for 23 yards.
O'Connell wouldn't commit to starting Hall next Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, so the Vikings could look to signing a veteran free agent to take over the offence.
Stafford injured his right thumb in the Los Angeles Rams' 43-20 blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
The 35-year-old initially hurt the thumb on his throwing hand on a failed 2-point conversion pass in the final seconds of the first half and then exited for good after aggravating the injury after catching a 2-point try on the Rams' first possession of the third quarter.
Brett Rypien entered at quarterback the next time the Rams got the ball and completed five of 10 passes for 42 yards in his first action of the season. Stafford finished 13 of 22 for 162 yards with a touchdown and interception.
Coach Sean McVay said he didn't have an update on Stafford's injury after the loss, which dropped Los Angeles' record to 3-5.
Pickett left the Pittsburgh Steelers' 20-10 defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars with a rib injury.
Pickett was injured on a hit by defensive end Adam Gotsis after throwing a pass that fell incomplete in the final minute of the first half.
After the game, coach Mike Tomlin said he didn't know the severity of the injury to Pickett, who was 10 of 16 for 73 yards before exiting.
The Steelers have a quick turnaround, with their next game Thursday against the visiting Tennessee Titans.
If Pickett can't play, Mitch Trubisky would make his 56th career start - and first of the season.
Trubisky, who played in the second half of Pittsburgh's 30-6 loss to Houston in Week 4 after Pickett left with a bone bruise in his knee, went 15 of 27 for 138 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions against the Jaguars.
Buccaneers, Antoine Winfield Jr. agree to four-year, $84M deal
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed safety Antoine Winfield Jr. to a four-year, $84.1million contract extension, Winfield’s agent announced Monday.
The contract makes Winfield the NFL’s highest-paid defensive back and the first safety to ever hold that distinction.
Winfield’s contract includes $45m in guaranteed money. He had been scheduled to make about $17m next season under the franchise tag.
Winfield’s agent David Mulugheta posted the news on social media with a screen capture of the moment he informed Winfield that the deal was done.
"Couldn't be happier to make this call and let Antoine know he just made HISTORY! The first time that a safety is the highest-paid defensive back in the NFL," Mulugheta wrote.
"In a year where the value of safeties has been questioned, the Buccaneer Organization, the Glazer Family and GM Jason Licht have stepped up and taken care of one of their most valuable family members.
"Congratulations Antoine, you have accomplished something that has never been done before. You will forever be etched in history as the first. I appreciate your trust and cannot wait to see you back on the field."
Winfield, 25, is the son of retired defensive back Antoine Winfield Sr. and was drafted by the Buccaneers in the second round in 2020.
The 2023 All-Pro has become one of the best and most versatile defensive backs in the league and is coming off his best season.
In 17 games last season, Winfield set career bests with six sacks, three interceptions, 12 pass deflections, six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
Winfield is the latest key contributor to be signed to an extension by the Buccaneers this offseason. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, wide receiver Mike Evans and linebacker Lavonte David all signed deals this spring to remain with Tampa Bay.
Detroit Lions QB Goff agrees to $212M extension
The Detroit Lions and quarterback Jared Goff have agreed to a four-year, $212 million extension that will make him the NFL's second-highest-paid player, multiple outlets reported Monday.
According to NFL.com, Goff's new deal will begin in 2025 and includes an option for the 2028 season. The Associated Press reports that the three-time Pro Bowler will receive $170 million in guaranteed money.
Goff's average annual value of $53 million per year during the extension is surpassed only by Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow for the highest in the NFL. Burrow will earn $55 million per year on a five-year, $275 million extension that begins this season.
The Lions have now locked up three core offensive players from a team that reached the 2023 NFC Championship game this offseason. Detroit previously signed top wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to a four-year, $120 million extension and All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell to a four-year, $112 million deal last month.
Goff was entering the final season of a four-year, $134 million contract he signed with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019. The Lions acquired the 29-year-old from the Rams in March 2021 as part of the blockbuster trade that sent long-time Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford to Los Angeles.
The trade has worked out very well for both teams. While the Rams won a Super Bowl in Stafford's first season, the Lions have gone 21-13 with Goff at quarterback over the past two years and reached the play-offs for the first time since 2016 after going 12-5 and winning the NFC's North Division in 2023.
Detroit then recorded post-season wins over the Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers to earn the franchise's first appearance in the conference title game since 1991.
Goff's 4,575 passing yards in 2023 ranked second in the NFL and his 30 touchdown passes were the fourth-highest total in the league. Over his three seasons in Detroit, the 2016 No. 1 overall pick has compiled 12,258 passing yards with 78 touchdown passes and just 27 interceptions for a passer rating of 96.5.
Prior to his arrival with the Lions, Goff spent his first five seasons with the Rams. The best of those campaigns came in 2018, when he set career highs in passing yards (4,688) and touchdown passes (32) while leading the Rams to an appearance in Super Bowl LIII.
Buccaneers, Antoine Winfield Jr. agree to 4-year, $84M deal
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed safety Antoine Winfield Jr. to a four-year, $84.1million contract extension, Winfield’s agent announced Monday.
The contract makes Winfield the NFL’s highest-paid defensive back and the first safety to ever hold that distinction.
Winfield’s contract includes $45million in guaranteed money.
Winfield had been scheduled to make about $17million next season under the franchise tag.
Winfield’s agent, David Mulugheta posted the news on social media with a screen capture of the moment he informed Winfield that the deal was done.
“Couldn't be happier to make this call and let @antoinewinfieldjr know he just made HISTORY! The first time that a safety is the highest paid defensive back in the NFL. In a year where the value of safeties has been questioned, the Buccaneer Organization, the Glazer Family and GM Jason Licht have stepped up and taken care of one of their most valuable family members,” Mulugheta wrote in the post.
“Congratulations Antoine, you have accomplished something that has never been done before. You will forever be etched in history as the first. I appreciate your trust and cannot wait to see you back on the field.”
Winfield, 25, is the son of retired defensive back Antoine Winfield Sr. and was drafted by the Buccaneers in the second round in 2020.
The 2023 All-Pro has become one of the best and most versatile defensive backs in the league and is coming off his best season.
In 17 games last season, Winfield set career bests with six sacks, three interceptions, 12 pass deflections, six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
Winfield is the latest key contributor to be signed to an extension by the Buccaneers this offseason. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, wide receiver Mike Evans and linebacker Lavonte David all signed deals this spring to remain with Tampa Bay.
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