Cardinals lose LT Paris Johnson for season to torn biceps
Arizona Cardinals starting left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. is out for the season after tearing his left biceps in Sunday's 36-24 loss to the New York Giants, per AP via www.thescore.com.
First-year coach Mike LaFleur said Monday that Johnson would have surgery soon so he can begin his recovery, per AP via www.thescore.com. No additional details about the injury or a surgery timeline are confirmed beyond what the team has stated.
Johnson was hurt on the final drive of the game, holding his left arm as he walked off the field, per AP via www.thescore.com. He was replaced on the spot by rookie Jayden Williams, a seventh-round pick out of Mississippi.
WHAT HAPPENED ON SUNDAY
The Cardinals dropped a 36-24 decision to the New York Giants on Sunday, per AP via www.thescore.com. The loss itself was decisive, but the final drive carried a heavier cost.
Johnson went down on that last possession, clutching his left arm as he walked off the field, per AP via www.thescore.com. The exact play or moment of the tear is not specified in the source, so the precise snap that ended his season remains unconfirmed.
Rookie Jayden Williams stepped in for him on the spot, per AP via www.thescore.com. Williams, a seventh-round pick out of Mississippi, was pressed into duty immediately with the game still in the balance.
The injury turned a rough afternoon into a longer-term problem. Arizona's line now faces the rest of the season without its starting left tackle, and Williams' first extended action came under the least forgiving circumstances — a late-game drive against a Giants pass rush that had already helped build the deficit.
JOHNSON'S CAREER NUMBERS
The numbers behind Johnson’s absence are stark. At 25 years old, he has already started 47 games for the Cardinals across the past four seasons, including the first four games of this year, per AP via www.thescore.com.
That run began in 2023, when Arizona made him the No. 6 overall pick out of Ohio State, per AP via www.thescore.com. He has been a fixture on the line ever since, anchoring the left side through the team’s rebuild.
No contract details or additional statistical breakdowns are provided in the source, so his broader career marks beyond those starts remain unconfirmed. What is clear is the workload — 47 starts in four seasons means Johnson has rarely left the field when healthy.
For a unit already adjusting to late-game chaos on Sunday, losing that stability is the heaviest blow. The Cardinals now lean on Williams, a seventh-round rookie, to fill a spot that Johnson had made his own since arriving in the league.
COACH LAFLEUR'S REACTION
First-year coach Mike LaFleur didn’t sugarcoat it the day after losing his starting left tackle. “I feel for him — just all these guys,” LaFleur said Monday, per AP via www.thescore.com.
The coach’s sympathy started with Johnson, then widened to everyone affected by the loss. “It sucks for him, first and foremost. It sucks obviously for the Arizona Cardinals, our offense, this team,” LaFleur added.
But the coach also kept football in perspective. “But it’s NFL football — here we are in October and the show goes on,” he concluded, per AP via www.thescore.com.
LaFleur’s tone suggests a locker room that must process the injury quickly. No other players’ or teammates’ reactions are included in the source, so how the rest of the roster responded has not been confirmed.
What is confirmed is the coach’s immediate priority: Johnson’s recovery. The 25-year-old will have surgery soon to begin his rehab, per AP via www.thescore.com, as the Cardinals shift focus to life without their anchor on the left side.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
Johnson will have surgery soon to begin his recovery, per AP via www.thescore.com. The exact date of the procedure and a timeline for his return have not been confirmed.
The immediate answer at left tackle is rookie Jayden Williams, a seventh-round pick out of Mississippi who replaced Johnson on Sunday’s final drive. Williams is expected to step into the starting role, per AP via www.thescore.com, though the team has not announced any additional roster moves.
LaFleur’s remark that “the show goes on” in October signals the Cardinals will not pause for the loss. They will move forward with Williams protecting the blind side, and the coaching staff will adjust the protection scheme around a player with no regular-season starting experience before this week.
The next decision comes on the practice field, where Williams will take the first-team reps and the Cardinals will finalize their plan for the upcoming game. No official lineup announcement has been made, and how the team reshuffles the rest of the line has not been confirmed.
For now, the focus is twofold: Johnson’s surgery and Williams’ preparation. The Cardinals play on, and the left tackle spot belongs to the rookie until further notice.
Advertisement
You may also like
Astros must fire Espada and trade veterans after ugly playoff sweep
The Houston Astros were swept at home by the Chicago White Sox in the Wild Card Series, dropping both games by matching 6-3 and…
Statcast says Ty France's roof-ball wasn't a homer. But maybe it was.
Ty France hit a ball in the ninth inning Saturday night that struck a roof cable at Milwaukee’s American Family Field. The Padres trailed…
10 MVP winners who never won a World Series ring
Winning a regular-season Most Valuable Player award proves you are the best individual player in baseball, according to www.sportskeeda.com. The trophy is the sport's…
Mike Vasil: The wizard hat hides a player aching to pitch
Mike Vasil stood Sunday afternoon inside the visiting clubhouse at Progressive Field wearing a charcoal cutoff shirt that reads "Southside Magic." In the center…
Bears' Marcus Davenport retires after release, Swift benched for fumble
Marcus Davenport asked for, and was granted, his release from the Bears on Monday, according to www.bleachernation.com. The move came one day after Davenport…
Ovechkin Announces 2026-27 Will Be His Final NHL Season
Alex Ovechkin announced on social media Monday morning that the 2026-27 season will be his last in the NHL — exactly 21 years to…