The last time everyone saw Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed, he was lying motionless on the MetLife Stadium turf after suffering a vicious hit that prompted trainers, doctors and stadium emergency personnel to spring into action, fearing the worst.
The worst, thankfully, did not happen.
Reed was hospitalized overnight and eventually posted on his Instagram account that he was “doing much better.” He had movement in his extremities.
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But it’s not all good news.
Reed is out for the remainder of the season, Packers coach Matt LaFleur said on Wednesday. And Reed will require neck surgery, the coach added.
“It will be a season-ending,” LaFleur said during his press conference. “Yeah, he’ll be out, unfortunately. He let me know yesterday. He’s going to have to have surgery as well.”
The coach said Reed will be out “a significant amount of time” but doesn’t believe this is a career-ending surgery. That optimism depends on the surgery and rehabilitation progressing as hoped.
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It also depends on Reed eventually weighing the risks of playing again versus the risk of suffering another neck injury and what that would mean. But Reed is typically a very motivated player who loves the game.
“It’s tough on him,” LaFleur said. “He’s a guy that, you know, he wants to be out there and compete. And certainly I think that anytime you go through a situation like that, it’s it’s a pretty scary deal.
“…I didn’t even realize the magnitude at the time, but certainly when I was out there with them and just seeing what was going on it kind of, it shocks you, it jolts you a little bit, because you never want to see anybody in that position, let alone one of your own guys.”
Reed will immediately go on the injured reserve list. And he will be missed beyond his abilities to catch passes.
“[He’s] the guy that you have a lot of love for and brings so much to this organization’s football team, to the locker room,” LaFleur said. “He’s he’s an energy guy and he will certainly be missed.”
Reed posted a message on his Instagram account that suggests he’s not spiritually defeated. But he is indeed being challenged.
“God will use the unusual to do the unexpected… 11 out🙏🏾,” he wrote.
Reed is only 26 years old and four seasons into his NFL career. His first two seasons, in 2022 and 2023, were his best, as he caught a combined 119 passes and scored 14 touchdowns in 23 starts.