The Denver Broncos received tough news Friday afternoon.
As NBC Sports noted, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that running back J.K. Dobbins will amiss Sunday’s matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs due to a significant foot injury.
Rapoport added that Dobbins is “believed to be out for the foreseeable future.”
His placement on injured reserve remains a real possibility as the team evaluates its options.
“Dobbins is still working through options, and while there is no final determination, IR remains a possibility,” Rapoport said.
The report came from himself and Tom Pelissero.
The development marks a quick escalation from earlier in the week, when Dobbins missed Wednesday and Thursday’s practices.
At that point, the team had not revealed the full severity of the injury.
Dobbins’ injury stems from a hip-drop tackle last Thursday against the Raiders, a play that left him frustrated enough to take to X and call for the move to be banned.
Dobbins ranks fifth in the NFL with 772 rushing yards and has been a huge part of Denver’s offense so far this season.
While Dobbins has officially been ruled out for Week 11, the next major decision comes quickly.
The Broncos must determine by Saturday afternoon whether to place him on injured reserve.
If he is moved to IR before Sunday, the Chiefs game will count toward a required four-game absence.
Placing Dobbins on IR would sideline him for matchups against the Chiefs, Commanders, Raiders, and Packers.
He would be eligible to return Week 16 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Head coach Sean Payton acknowledged that discussions are ongoing.
“Nothing has been decided yet, and at some point there will be more clarity with him and some of these other players,” Payton said earlier this week.
Denver’s Week 12 bye gives the team a small cushion, but if the injury is significant enough to keep him out multiple weeks, the IR designation becomes more likely.
“With JK Dobbins potentially headed to Injured Reserve, all eyes turn to RJ Harvey,” Rapoport said.
RJ Harvey has already flashed his dynamic potential in limited work.
Payton praised Harvey’s running style, durability, and readiness to step into a larger role:
“When we drafted him, it was his running skillset, and he had a lot of touches at Central Florida,” Payton said.
“You are starting to see him grow in front of our eyes, and he will have more opportunities in this game.”
Tyler Badie will likely mix in as a third down guy, while Jaleel McLaughlin could be active as well.
Sunday’s divisional matchup against the Chiefs carries major playoff implications for both teams and Harvey has a huge opportunity to step up and flourish in the RB1 role.
Cleveland Browns QB Shedeur Sanders revealed his first-ever tattoo on video — a choice that might not sit well with his dad, Deion.
The clip from Well Off Media shows Sanders getting his dollar-sign logo on his left, non-throwing hand. His brother, Shilo, teased that their dad definitely wouldn’t approve.
“If dad ever ranks you higher than me in the rankings each month, buddy, that’ll be outrageous,” Shilo Sanders said. “Dad’s gonna say, ‘Ain’t no quarterback of mine have no tattoos. That’s unprofessional. I did not raise you like that.’”
Deion Sanders is famously opposed to getting tattoos, as he expressed in a previous video with Shedeur back in 2022.
“Where you plan on going, some things you can’t take with you,” Deion Sanders said when the pair were at Jackson State. “Starts out with a thigh, next thing it’s a shoulder, next thing it’s a calf and a hamstring. Next thing you know, you’re Mike Tyson and you’ll do your whole face.”
It’s been an interesting ride for Sanders in the NFL after tumbling in the draft to the fifth round. He’s currently serving as the backup quarterback to Dillon Gabriel in Cleveland, and it’s uncertain if or when he’ll see the field this season.
“I don’t think it’s fair to speculate,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday about a possible timeline for Sanders to see the field. “We’re committed to getting better as an offense. Dillon is certainly committed to improving every which way he can. And all the while, all of our players, our young players are developing and working so hard behind the scenes to make sure that they’re getting better on a daily basis.”
That said, Stefanski provided some light praise for Sanders on Friday ahead of the team’s Week 11 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
“He’s doing a really nice job. Including just now coming off the field with the red zone drill we did,” Stefanski said. “Continues to work really hard. Doing a nice job in meetings. Doing a good job on the field.”
The chatter around Sanders seeing the field has heated up in recent weeks. Gabriel has struggled to establish himself as the starter in Cleveland. He’s posted a 1-4 record and has not provided a spark for the offense. However, Stefanski has continued to back Gabriel, putting the blame on the unit as a whole.
“There are things that I know Dillon can do better and will do better as a young quarterback. And I know there are things that we as a staff can do better, and putting our guys in position,” Stefanski said. “So, I just think it goes back to, I understand the individual aspect of this, but there’s also the collective aspect of this.”
If Gabriel’s struggles persist, the Browns will almost certainly give Sanders a look down the stretch with the playoffs out of reach. Cleveland holds two first-round picks in next year’s draft and must evaluate its rookie quarterbacks before making any long-term decisions at the position.