The Atlanta Falcons were already shorthanded in the secondary for Sunday’s Week 2 game against the Carolina Panthers.
It got worse very early in the first quarter.
They were down Billy Bowman Jr., who has an Achilles injury and had previously been ruled out as part of the pregame inactive report.
But then in the first quarter, A.J. Terrell got hurt.
What Happened to A.J. Terrell?
Terrell hurt his groin while covering in the end zone.
He was lined up near the goal line with Tetairoa McMillan, and the Panthers star ran a quick slant toward the inside.
Terrell had it read, and he jumped the route to tip the ball away.
He successfully broke up the pass, but then he pulled up a bit lame.
Terrell went into a bit of a squat, and he was clearly in some pain.
A.J. Terrell Injury Update
Terrell was officially announced by the Falcons as doubtful to return.
AJ Terrell (groin) is doubtful to return, per the #Falcons.
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) September 20, 2026
Terrell had previously been injured in Week 1, but these don’t appear to be connected.
His Week 1 problem was a shoulder injury, and it forced him out of action, but he eventually returned and was fine.
The first thought when Terrell went down Sunday was that maybe he had aggravated something, but it certainly didn’t look like a shoulder injury — and it turns out that it wasn’t.
A groin problem doesn’t seem ideal for a cornerback who has to change directions quickly and often.
The Falcons were already going to have to play A.J.’s little brother, Avieon, more on Sunday with Bowman out. He may not miss a snap for as long as his big brother is out.
What Happened to A.J. Terrell? Falcons Injury News Isn’t Good for CB