Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan was ruled out of Sunday’s Week 3 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings after suffering a left knee injury in the first half.

McMillan went down early in the game after being targeted on Tampa Bay’s third offensive play. The third-year receiver remained on the field while being evaluated by the Buccaneers’ medical staff.

Pro Football Doc Dr. David Chao immediately noted the concern given McMillan’s recent history with the same knee.

McMillan entered Week 3 after dealing with the knee injury throughout the opening weeks of the season. He was listed as questionable ahead of Tampa Bay’s Week 2 game against Cleveland before playing, and he was a full participant in practice leading into Sunday’s matchup with Minnesota.

Fox Sports reporter Greg Auman reported from the stadium that McMillan was holding his knee while trainers attended to him following the play.

The Buccaneers later ruled McMillan out for the remainder of the game.

Another Setback for Jalen McMillan

The latest injury continues a difficult early-career injury history for McMillan.

He missed Tampa Bay’s 2026 season opener against Cincinnati before returning in Week 2 against Cleveland. He did not record a reception in that game.

McMillan has already missed significant time over his first two NFL seasons. He missed three games because of a hamstring injury during his rookie season in 2024 before a much more serious neck injury derailed most of his 2025 campaign.

That injury occurred during an August 2025 preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and was initially described as a severe neck sprain.

McMillan later revealed that the injury was significantly more serious, involving fractures to three vertebrae in his neck. He did not return until Week 15 against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Buccaneers had been hoping to increase McMillan’s role against Minnesota after he worked his way back into the offense. Tampa Bay highlighted his progress entering Week 3, with McMillan practicing fully and discussing his return to a larger role in the passing game.

Sunday’s left knee injury now creates another concern for a Tampa Bay receiving corps that was hoping McMillan could become a bigger part of the offense.

Check back with SICscore.com and Pro Football Doc for the latest injury analysis and updates on Jalen McMillan.