The most injury-prone player on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster is — surprise — injured once again after a wide receiver left the Week 3 game against the Minnesota Vikings with a 1st-half knee injury.
“(McMillan) aggravates left knee again,” Dr. David Chao wrote on his official X account on Sunday. “QUESTIONABLE … Previous/recent left knee issues in training camp.”
McMillan was quickly ruled out.
“Bucs say Jalen McMillan is now out for the rest of the game with his knee injury,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on his official X account.
McMillan wasn’t the only Bucs starter dealing with injury issues early.
“Yaya Diaby is down on the field after a Vikings run play,” Auman wrote. “Diaby walking off on his own, working his right shoulder as he comes off the field.”
Injuries Follow Jalen McMillan Entire Career
McMillan also missed the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals — he played in a Week 2 loss to the Cleveland Browns but didn’t have any receptions.
McMillan has missed 17 regular-season games over his 1st 2 seasons — 3 games with a hamstring injury as a rookie in 2024 and 14 games due to a severe neck injury in 2025.
McMillan was initially diagnosed with a “severe neck sprain” after he was injured against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a preseason game on August 16.
He was also initially projected to return for Week 8 or Week 9, but didn’t make his regular-season debut until Week 15 against the Atlanta Falcons.
McMillan didn’t actually have a neck sprain — he fractured 3 vertebrae in his neck and, according to a story from ESPN’s Jenna Laine, doctors initially told McMillan there was a chance he could have been paralyzed for life.
“I mean, it was dark for me at first,” McMillan told Laine. “First, I felt good, and I thought it was just a minor injury and then the doctor said I almost got paralyzed, so it kind of scared me a little bit. And then there was doubt too because I didn’t know if I was going to be playing again.”
Bucs WR Jalen McMillan Elite — When Healthy
McMillan has played a massive role in the offense before.
As a rookie in 2024, McMillan had 37 receptions for 461 yards and 8 touchdowns, but put up the bulk of those stats down the stretch with 24 receptions for 316 yards over the final 5 games of the regular season — a stretch in which he led the NFL with 7 touchdowns.
Buccaneers Injury Updates: Key Starter Ruled Out Against Vikings