James Cook injury update: Bills RB final status for Monday Night Football revealed

Bills running back James Cook will miss Buffalo’s Monday Night Football matchup against the New York Jets due to a toe injury, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Cook has been a steady piece to Buffalo’s offense this season, leading the team in rushing yards through five games with 309 yards on 70 carries. His four touchdowns also tops the team’s efforts on the ground.

Monday’s matchup will be the first game Cook will miss in his three-year NFL career.

Playing all 17 games last season, the former Georgia Bulldogs standout totaled his first 1,000-yard rushing season in 2023. He totaled 1,122 yards and two touchdowns. He’s doubled those touchdown numbers already this season, and will hope to be back on the field for the Bills soon.

If his toe didn’t cause him to sit out, Monday could have been a very important career milestone for the Buffalo tailback. Sitting with 1,938 career rushing yards, Cook is 62 yards away from breaking the 2,000-yard mark for his career in what would have been his 33rd NFL game.

Recording that moment will have to wait now, of course, and Cook’s status will be re-evaluated ahead of the quick Week 7 turnaround this weekend against the Tennessee Titans at home.

His absence is a big blow for the Buffalo offense, but the good news is that quarterback Josh Allen is good to go after he was banged up against the Houston Texans last week. Replay of the moment showed Allen’s helmet appear to make contact with the turf before he was quickly evaluated for a concussion and went into the medical tent on the sidelines.

Kickoff between the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets is set for 8:15 p.m. ET live on ABC and ESPN. The Bills have lost their its two games since starting the season 3-0, and Allen has never lost three-straight starts in his NFL career.