Packers running back Josh Jacobs left Sunday’s game at New England after he attempted a stiff arm and caught his hand and a finger in a Patriots defender’s facemask. Jacobs went to the sideline holding the hand, and the Packers have listed him as questionable to return. Green Bay led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.
A hand or finger caught in a facemask can do several things, from a simple jam or sprain to a dislocation, a fracture, or damage to the tendons and ligaments, and the difference is usually determined by X-rays. A dislocation can sometimes be reduced on the sideline, allowing a player to return with taping or a splint, while a fracture can end the day and cost weeks. For a running back, grip and ball security are the concern. The Packers host the Vikings next Sunday, November 15, which leaves a week to see how the hand responds.
Josh Jacobs Injury History
Jacobs has dealt with a similar issue before. In December 2022, on a Thursday night against the Rams, he extended his right hand to land on the turf at the end of a big run and said afterward, “My finger went out, and my hand went the other way.” He had the right pinkie popped back into place, had it taped to his ring finger, returned in the third quarter, and had negative X-rays, then wore a brace and played the following Sunday despite a questionable tag. His other upper-body injury was a fractured clavicle as a rookie in 2019, a Grade 1 break he suffered in Week 7 at Green Bay and played through for weeks before missing the Week 14 game against the Titans and the final two games of the season.
If Jacobs cannot return, Green Bay would lean on its other backs, including Marshawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson, whom the Packers acquired from the Steelers earlier this season. The key updates are the team’s status in the first half, whether X-rays show a fracture or dislocation, and his practice participation this week.
