Christian Watson injury update: Packers WR suffered torn ACL vs. Bears

In the Packers’ 24-22 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Green Bay wide receiver Christian Watson left the game on a cart after suffering a non-contact injury to his knee. On Monday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport provided an update on Watson’s injury.

“Christian Watson is believed to have torn his ACL and suffered additional damage, ending his season and putting the beginning of 2025 in jeopardy,” Rapoport wrote on X.

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This isn’t the first time Watson has dealt with knee injuries in his NFL career. In August, Watson reportedly played through soreness in his knee. Watson also suffered a severe bruise to his right knee in Week 7 of the 2023 campaign. Most notably, Watson had a tear in his knee in the summer of 2022.

The former North Dakota State standout has been pivotal to the team’s success this season. He finishes with 29 catches for 620 yards and two touchdowns in the 2024 campaign. Watson’s 620 receiving yards are the third-most on the team.

Now, the Packers must find a way forward without Watson out wide. On Jan. 12, Green Bay will square off against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs at 4:30 p.m. ET. The game will air live on FOX.

New York Jets request to interview Arthur Smith

The New York Jets have requested to interview Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith for their head coach opening, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh on Oct. 8 and general manager Joe Douglas on Nov. 19.

Smith is only the latest name to be included in the search. This season is Smith’s first with the Steelers. The organization has seemingly benefitted from his presence. The Steelers are averaging 319.4 yards per game this season. In comparison, they averaged just 304.3 yards per game in 2023.

The Steelers finished the regular season with a 10-7 record. They will face off against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs.

Before joining the Steelers, Smith spent three seasons as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. While there, Smith led the Falcons to a 21-30 record. The team finished with a 7-10 record in all three of his seasons at the helm.

While the Jets are interested in meeting with Arthur Smith, he’s far from their only candidate. The team has also reportedly reached out to Mike Vrabel, Ron Rivera and Rex Ryan.