Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson returned to the Week 8 “Thursday Night Football” game against the Carolina Panthers in the third quarter after leaving the first half with a chest injury. Watson was transported to a hospital near Lambeau Field for precautionary testing and returned to the stadium shortly after halftime. The team initially deemed him questionable to play, and after he was cleared, he re-entered competition.
Watson returned to Lambeau Field in an ambulance and raced to the locker room, where he spent about three minutes preparing for his return to action. He appeared on the sideline with extra padding around his ribs and pointed to the lower right side of his chest when teammates inquired about the injury, according to Prime Video’s Kaylee Hartung.
“It was tough,” Watson told Hartung on the postgame show. “I never wanted to go. I was hoping they would let me go. I said I felt better once I caught my breath. They said there were a few signs that required them to take me there. That’s what it is. I was just praying that it would be good enough for me to come back here. Luckily it was, and I was able to come back. I’m trying to be on the football field. It’s above all for me.
Watson said he coughed up blood after suffering the injury, prompting the Packers’ medical staff to take him to the hospital. Tests ruled out internal bleeding, which opened the door for him to play. He said he was monitoring the game from his hospital room and watching the play-by-play feed while waiting for his test results.
The injury occurred on the biggest play of the first half: a 53-yard reception that gave the Packers their second touchdown of the night. Watson collided with Panthers cornerback Will Lee III, who was also injured during the play. Carolina ruled Lee questionable to return due to a hamstring injury.
Watson was in the middle of a massive performance when he left the competition. He led all receivers in the first half with six catches for 100 yards. His ability to separate himself from the Panthers’ maligned defense played a key role in the success of quarterback Jordan Love who completed 17 of his first 20 passes on the night.
The Packers hauled in a pass to Watson on his first play from the hospital, and although he didn’t make the catch, he added two receptions in the fourth quarter. The second of those two grabs nearly iced the game, as it converted a third down and allowed the Packers to waste valuable time and limit the Panthers to just seconds on their final possession.
Matthew Golden has stepped in in Watson’s absence as the No. 1 option in Green Bay’s receiving unit. He caught a touchdown pass on the Packers’ first possession without Watson and redeemed himself for dropping a potential scoring pass on the previous play. Tucker Kraft also played an increased role on the field and was responsible for the Packers’ first touchdown on Thursday.
Injuries, unfortunately, were a defining part of Watson’s NFL career. He has a long history that includes a separate chest injury, three hamstring strains, a sprained ankle, three knee bruises and a torn ACL. He also suffered a concussion during his rookie season in 2022. In total, Watson missed 20 games and has yet to play a full season in five years in the league.
Gn sports
