A number of NFL teams punched their playoff ticket in Week 16. Things are starting to take shape in the NFC, where the Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers are all in.
Things are more open in the AFC, where the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots are the only teams guaranteed playoff spots for now.
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If you weren’t a fan of one of those teams in Week 16, well, the news likely wasn’t so positive. For the Cleveland Browns, rookie running back Quinshon Judkins will miss the rest of the season due to a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle. It ends a promising season from the second-round draft pick and potentially puts him in jeopardy to miss the start of the 2026 NFL season depending on how quickly he can recover.
The disaster season continues for the Kansas City Chiefs. A week after being eliminated from the playoffs and losing star Patrick Mahomes, the team may have lost his backup to a season-ending injury.
Gardner Minshew may have also torn his ACL during the team’s 26-9 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. The injury would leave third-stringer Chris Oladokun as the team’s starter in Week 17 barring a free-agent move. That’s a far cry from where the Chiefs hoped to be in Week 17 entering the season.
Follow along for the latest NFL news and injury updates coming out of Week 16:
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Chris Cwik
The NFL will investigate Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receiver D.K. Metcalf’s sideline interaction with a fan during Sunday’s game, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
During the contest, Metcalf confronted, and may have thrown a punch at a fan on the sideline. The league will look into exactly what happened, and could punish Metcalf for his actions.
That punishment could come as early as Monday evening, per Rapoport. Given the nature of the confrontation, Metcalf could be looking at a possible suspension.
Chris Cwik
Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson’s status is “up in the air” for Week 17, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Jackson had to leave Sunday’s game due to a back injury and was unable to return. Whether he can play in Week 17 is unclear right now.
It’s been a frustrating, injury-riddled year for Jackson, who missed time with a hamstring issue earlier in the year.
Chris Cwik
Denver Broncos wideout Pat Bryant was released from the hospital late Sunday night with a concussion. Bryant sustained the injury in the final minute of the team’s 34-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
Bryant took a big hit in the final minute of the game. He was placed on a backboard, taken off the field on a cart and then taken to a local hospital to be evaluated. Tests for a potential neck injury came back negative, per ESPN.
The Broncos are set to play the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day. Bryant will have to pass the league’s concussion protocol if he wants to play in that game.