Green Bay Packers fans were dealt a major injury scare during Thursday’s matchup against the Carolina Panthers when star wide receiver Christian Watson exited with what appeared to be a serious chest injury.
Watson was taken to the hospital as the team collectively held their breath as they waited for an update.
Amazon Prime’s Kaylee Hartung provided that update midway through the third quarter — and it was surprisingly positive.
Packers Get Good News After Christian Watson Injury
“The Packers tell me that Christian Watson is on his way back to Lambeaus Field,” Hartung reported. “All the medical tests that he went through in the hospital were clear. Remember the official injury designation that the team gave me was a chest injury.
“But we don’t have any more details of what tests he underwent there. Of all things, they say he’s questionable to return. They have not ruled him out.”
“A return from the hospital — that would be a first,” play-by-play man Al Michaels said.
Then Michaels recalled the closest thing he could remember to a player returning from the hospital mid-game.
“We had a game here a few years ago when Aaron Rodgers was taken out on a cart, came back and won the game,” Michaels added. “Leave it to Aaron. Looks like he was done for the season, comes back and won the game.”
Watson did, in fact, return to the stadium. And when he walked through the tunnel back to the field, the Lambeau fans exploded in a roarious ovation.
Perhaps even more unbelievable: Watson returned to the field with four minutes left in the third quarter and quarterback Jordan Love even targeted him on the first play.
“It does look like he has extra padding on both sides,” Hartung added. “When his teammates would come over to check on him, He would point to his lower right side as if that’s where the pain is.”
Watson Suffered Similar Injury Last Season
The injury that forced Watson to leave Thursday’s game was actually quite similar to the one he suffered in Week 15 last season against the Denver Broncos.
Watson left that game and was taken to the hospital as well amid concerns he suffered an SC joint dislocation or a clavicular fracture.
He made a quick recovery from that incident as well, returning the following week against the Baltimore Ravens, though he did sit out in Week 18 due to a coach’s decision.
Watson returning is good news for the Packers, who already have a banged up wide receiver room. Jayden Reed is out for the rest of the season after suffering a gruesome neck injury earlier in the year.
Skyy Moore is also on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain. The Packers also traded Dontayvion Wicks to the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason.
Christian Watson Injury: Major Update Emerges After Packers WR Hospitalized