Alex Anzalone Out 6-8 Weeks After Suffering Broken Forearm vs. Jaguars

Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone will miss significant time after breaking his forearm in the team’s dominant win over Jacksonville.

The Detroit Lions celebrated a dominant 52-6 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, but their triumph was overshadowed by a serious injury to linebacker Alex Anzalone. The team had one of their best performances of the season, but the mood took a hit when Anzalone suffered a broken forearm in the first half.

Injury Strikes at a Bad Time

Anzalone’s injury occurred late in the first half when his left forearm was pinned between Brian Branch and Jaguars running back Travis Etienne. As the linebacker struggled to his feet, it was evident something was wrong. FOX cameras caught Anzalone acknowledging the injury with the words, “it’s broke,” as he was escorted to the locker room for further evaluation.

Initially, Anzalone was ruled questionable to return, but it wasn’t long before the decision was made to rule him out for the remainder of the game. The Lions’ linebacker had been playing at a high level, and his injury came at a tough time for both the player and the team.

Coach Campbell Provides Update

After the game, head coach Dan Campbell gave a more detailed prognosis on Anzalone’s injury. Speaking with 97.1 The Ticket sideline reporter T.J. Lang, Campbell explained, “Yeah, look, he’s probably gonna be down for a while. It doesn’t look good. I think it looks like he broke that bone down there in the forearm. So, we’re gonna lose him for a bit. But, he’ll bounce back, man. He does. If anything, that’ll put he and Hutch together, and they can get their a** back together. So, that’s hard.”

Campbell’s words made it clear that the Lions will be without one of their key defensive leaders for a while. The team confirmed that Anzalone will be out for 6-8 weeks, putting a serious dent in the linebacker corps.

Missing a Key Player

Before the injury, Anzalone had been a standout player for the Lions. He became the first linebacker in franchise history to post seven or more tackles for loss in three consecutive seasons, a feat last achieved by DeAndre Levy in 2014. He had also been second on the team in tackles going into the week.

The timing of Anzalone’s injury is unfortunate, as the Lions were already dealing with other linebacker injuries. Derrick Barnes is likely out for the season with a knee injury, and Jalen Reeves-Maybin is on IR with a neck injury, which leaves the Lions thin at the linebacker position. They now rely on Jack Campbell, Malcolm Rodriguez, Ben Niemann, Trevor Nowaske, and Ezekiel Turner to fill the gap.

Playoff Hopes Remain

Despite the blow to their linebacker group, the Lions are still in good shape. Anzalone’s recovery timeline means he could return for the playoffs, with seven games remaining in the regular season. If the Lions continue their strong form, they will likely have a chance to compete in the postseason, and Anzalone could make a crucial impact upon his return.

While this injury will test the Lions’ depth, the team remains optimistic. Anzalone’s resilience, combined with the coaching staff’s ability to adapt, will give the Lions a fighting chance as they move toward the postseason.