Share 
The final NFL game week before the trade deadline produced all of the drama we’d expect at the halfway point of the season, but as we’ve grown accustomed to, it produced some injury scares, too. Not least of all for the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams, who watched Patrick Mahomes and Puka Nacua get banged up in their respective wins. What is the extent of those injuries, though, and who else joins them on the Monday Medical Report?
WR – Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
There aren’t many wide receivers who mean more to their offenses than Puka Nacua. The former fifth-round pick has been the fulcrum of the Los Angeles Rams passing game since he was drafted in 2023, catching 369 passes for 4756 yards and 22 touchdowns ahead of Week 9. Nacua is currently the NFL’s all-time leader in receiving yards per game (95.1), and caught 14-of-19 targets for 150 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ 20-13 win against the Washington Commanders in Week 9 as they moved above .500 for the first time in 2026. However, that may have come at a cost.
Nacua reportedly injured his knee on the Rams’ final offensive play of the game—a Nacua rushing attempt where he landed awkwardly—and got up gingerly, but there was nothing much made of it in the moment. After the game, though, the news came out that Nacua had injured his knee and would undergo an MRI on Monday to reveal the extent of the injury. The positive news was that the Rams believed Nacua hadn’t suffered a torn ACL. The negative spin would be that the fact that a torn ACL was even mentioned means Nacua could be facing a potentially lengthy absence. Though he was giving locker room interviews after the game, with no mention of the injury. It’s all very much an unknown until the MRI results come back.
The 2026 NFL season has been one step forward and two steps back for the Rams. Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett just returned to the lineup after missing almost all of the first half of the season, and the Rams looked to be heading upward, but if Nacua is out, the offense could really crater. Davante Adams is already on IR after rupturing his hamstring; second-year tight end Terrance Ferguson suffered an injury setback ahead of his potential return this week, and beyond that, the Rams lack a lot of talent at receiver. Could a move ahead of the trade deadline be on the cards? That’ll depend on the health of Nacua.
QB – Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
On the surface, the Kansas City Chiefs cruised to victory against the New York Jets in Week 9, moving to 6-2 after the 35-12 win. However, there was a brief moment that had the Chiefs fearing for the worst. Jets’ rookie edge rusher David Bailey sacked Patrick Mahomes late in the first half, absolutely crushing Mahomes while bending his throwing arm back in the process. The pass went incomplete, and Mahomes stayed down, writhing in pain, before standing up and leaving the game. The initial replays, combined with Mahomes clearly being in a lot of pain, suggested a potential UCL injury or a shoulder injury, and as he and the offense trudged off the field, it was fair to wonder in the moment where the Chiefs’ season could be heading.
The panic meter subsequently dropped as Mahomes stood on the sideline and came back into the game on the next possession to end the half, and helped lead the Chiefs to 21 unanswered second-half points. After the game, Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid said that Mahomes had hurt his elbow a bit and would likely be a bit sore come Monday morning, but that he was a “tough kid.” Mahomes certainly can’t be knocked for his toughness; the hit looked scary, but the fact he came out to finish the half and looked, largely, okay is a good sign. He also underwent an MRI after the game and isn’t believed to have suffered a major injury, more an elbow sprain.
That doesn’t mean Mahomes’ injury is suddenly off the radar. It’ll stay on, in large part because of the gravity of any potential missed time. The Chiefs are rolling in 2026 after their lost season in 2025. That season, of course, ended due to Mahomes tearing his ACL. We’ve seen how the Chiefs look without their franchise quarterback, and it isn’t good. For now, Mahomes probably won’t miss any time, but don’t be surprised if he shows up on the injury report early in the week. His status will be one to watch.
DT – Gracen Halton, San Francisco 49ers
Not many rookies were having a season as good as San Francisco 49ers’ fourth-round pick Gracen Halton. The former Sooner has been a major presence on the 49ers’ defensive line, a unit that has been stuffing offenses. Halton has two sacks, nine pressures, and five tackles for loss this season, and the 49ers’ defense ranks 11th in expected points added, per Sümer Sports. Unfortunately, for Halton and the 49ers, the rookie defensive tackle suffered a season-ending broken ankle in their 38-17 win against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9. Halton suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter and had his leg placed in an air cast as he was carted off.
The 49ers have dealt with more than their fair share of injuries to key players over the years, and losing Halton—who was really making a name for himself in his rookie season—is another notch on an unwanted bedpost. The injury looked bad on first viewing, as Halton got rolled up on by his teammate on a Kirk Cousins interception, and those fears of a major injury were confirmed by 49ers’ head coach Kyle Shanahan after the game. Shanahan also said, as expected with the severity of the injury, that Halton would be out for the rest of the season.
Halton’s absence will be a loss, but the addition—and return—of DeForest Buckner to the defensive line is a boost. The veteran is one of the league’s best defensive tackles, and he’ll slot back into the middle of the defense nicely alongside Osa Odighizuwa. Once he and edge rusher Nick Bosa, who made his return after missing five games, become fully embedded back into the defense, the 49ers will be rolling. But they’ll miss Halton.
S – Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens’ season, one that started with such hope, promise, and fireworks, is dissipating at an alarming rate. First, the Ravens were dealt the news that Lamar Jackson would require thumb surgery and would potentially be out for the season. Naturally, that essentially ended any hopes the Ravens had of making the postseason, but the added news that they’d be without backup quarterback Tyler Huntley was an extra kicker. Not much else could go worse for the Ravens, except for losing their All-Pro safety, Kyle Hamilton, during the 33-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday Night Football.
Hamilton suffered a hip injury at some point early in the second half of the rain-soaked loss, and while it’s not clear exactly where Hamilton suffered the injury, whatever happened was enough to rule him out for the rest of the game. A big loss for the Ravens, losing arguably their best defender while the unit is struggling against one of the league’s best offenses. Jesse Minter didn’t have much of an update after the game, and there still hasn’t been a diagnosis of the extent of Hamilton’s injury.
What we do know is that the Ravens are already in a bind. They’re now 4-5, at the bottom of the AFC North, and without their franchise quarterback. The defense is 16th in expected points added per play, but they need Hamilton on the field. There aren’t many safeties like him in the league. Hamilton can rush the passer, get around the ball against the run, and he’s great in coverage. There’s no replacing a player of that ilk.
WR – Jaylen Waddle, Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos traded their 2026 first-round pick to acquire wide receiver Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins. Big things were expected of the former first-round pick, and Waddle was seen as the perfect complement to Sean McVay’s offense in Denver, and potentially the final piece of the puzzle for a team poised to make a Super Bowl run in 2026. At 7-2, the Broncos have one of the best records in the NFL, but their status as true contenders remains to be seen. Partly because the offense has struggled to consistently show up this season. The Broncos’ offense is 19th in the NFL in expected points added, and Waddle hasn’t necessarily been able to force his will, and suffered a bump in the road in the form of a concussion in the 26-21 win against the Carolina Panthers.
Waddle took a shot in the helmet on a deep ball target in the first half, as the Broncos were leading 10-0, and left the game before entering the blue medical tent. He was ruled questionable to return as he was being evaluated for a concussion and didn’t return to the game. The Broncos’ offense picked up some steam without Waddle, but he’s still been their top receiver in 2026, entering the game with 29 receptions for 315 yards and two touchdowns. However, his current pace of 39.4 receiving yards per game in 2026 is by far a career-low. He’ll now enter concussion protocol.
The positive news for the Broncos is that Waddle will have the better part of two weeks to clear concussion protocol and get back on the field due to the Broncos entering a bye week in Week 10. If Waddle can do that, he’ll miss no time and suit up for an AFC West matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 11. If not, then the Broncos’ offense is going to face even more questions regarding their ability to move the ball. Pat Bryant and Courtland Sutton stepped up in the win against the Panthers, and Bryant’s star continues to grow after returning from IR. He and Sutton will be tasked with sharing that load in the receiving game.
Photo Credit: REUTERS
