Graham Mertz leaves game vs. Missouri with injury to non-throwing arm, goes for X-rays

Florida quarterback Graham Mertz appeared to injure his non-throwing arm/shoulder late in the third quarter against Missouri on Saturday night, causing him to leave the game. Backup Max Brown entered with the Gators trailing, 23-21.

Mertz, a few plays prior to leaving the contest, had run through a thicket of defenders to convert a third down. During that play, Mertz delivered and took a number of shots. He appeared to be OK, with a Missouri defender actually getting banged up on the original play.

But a few snaps later, Mertz left the game as his left arm wasn’t working right. He quickly walked off the field with a trainer after going to the sideline, with a trainer supporting his left arm during the walk.

Mertz could also be seen grabbing around the front left of his shoulder, where one of the bigger hits was sustained.

ESPN sideline reporter Katie George added that Mertz and the trainers didn’t actually go to the locker room, but the Missouri football facilities X-ray room to get the shoulder and arm further examined.

Mertz was eventually ruled out

It wasn’t a terribly long trip to the X-ray machines and locker room for Mertz. And that’s because the injury he sustained late in the third quarter against Missouri was enough to knock him out for the remainder of the contest.

Mertz reappeared on the Gators sideline midway through the fourth quarter, no longer in shoulder pads and instead wearing a blue windbreaker-type jacket. His left arm could be seen bulging under the jacket, kept elevated in a sling as the left sleeve on the jacket dangled idly.

“But that left arm is currently in a sling. They x-rayed him. As you guys saw, he was pointing to his collarbone when he was on the field. He has been, unfortunately, ruled out for the rest of the game as you guys can imagine,” George relayed.

In lieu of Mertz, Florida turned to quarterback Max Brown under center. He entered the game with Florida down, 23-21. But on the next Missouri possession, the Tigers took a 30-21 lead, putting more pressure on Brown on the road.

However, Brown and the Gators managed to march down the field and punch in a touchdown to trail, 30-28, with fewer than 10 minutes to play. But it was for naught, as Missouri wound up winning on a last-second field goal from Harrison Mevis.