More bad news: Shoulder injury knocks Trevor Lawrence from game

Jaguars quarterback will undergo more testing on right shoulder

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence answers questions during a news conference an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken) (Jason Behnken, Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Three weeks ago it was an ankle. Last week, it was a concussion.

Now, it’s a shoulder injury that Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence left a game with and will seek more medical testing on, the latest in what has been a turbulent December for the franchise. Lawrence was injured on a fourth-and-1 play late in the third quarter of Sunday’s 30-12 blowout loss to the Buccaneers. Lawrence stretched the ball in his right arm out for the first-down marker and banged it up as he went to the ground.

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“Yeah, it’s bothering me. We’re going to check it out tomorrow I’m sure, so [we’ll] have more later on in the week,” Lawrence said. “Hopefully its’s nothing major, but yeah, it’s bugging me right now.”

Lawrence stayed in for five more plays, capping the drive with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Ridley. Lawrence’s two-point conversion pass to Tim Jones was no good and then his day was over. Lawrence finished 17 of 29 passing for 211 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Lawrence also lost a fumble. Tampa Bay turned those three turnovers into 21 points.

For Lawrence, who started his 49th consecutive game after a week in the concussion protocol, has been banged up more this season than in his previous two years. He was questionable for a knee injury entering a Thursday night game against the Saints and wound up playing. Lawrence suffered an ankle injury against the Bengals and was questionable a portion of the lead up to a road game against Cleveland. Lawrence returned for that game, but self-reported concussion symptoms after a loss to the Ravens. Now, it’s his throwing shoulder that will have the Jaguars watching their franchise quarterback’s health for another week.

Jacksonville is 8-7 and riding a four-game losing streak into Sunday’s Week 17 game against visiting Carolina.

“Yeah, when I landed, I knew something was off. Then, the next play, I throw it and it kind of hurts to throw. I just wanted to finish the drive out,” Lawrence said. “We were able to get some points and then on the two-point [conversion], I just could tell by the way that I threw it that I couldn’t really get my shoulder up good enough to really keep playing. So, I would’ve loved to have stayed in, but I’m just kind of hurting everybody at that point if I do.”


About the Author

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.

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