MCL recovery time in NFL: How Jaxson Dart’s injury compares to Jordan Love, T.J. Watt, others originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jaxson Dart was the latest young hurler to be struck down by an untimely injury. Unlike some of his fellow gunslingers, early reports suggest that he might’ve avoided a lengthy layoff.
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The Giants star exited New York’s 28-6 loss against the Rams after attempting just five passes, seeing his night come to an end after being collected by a pair of Los Angeles pass rushers. He immediately grabbed at his knee in the aftermath of the carnage, although his issue isn’t expected to keep him off the field for too long.
With that, here’s everything we know about Dart’s injury, as well as a timeline for his potential return.
IYER: Jaxson Dart’s knee injury is a Giants bummer but still a big break for Big Blue
Jaxson Dart injury update
Dart was cut down by an apparent MCL sprain in the first series of New York’s loss. He took a strike to the left knee from Rams linebacker Byron Young while attempting a throw. The collision sent Dart’s left knee into linebacker Josiah Stewart, who aided Young in completing the QB hit.
Dart writhed in pain after falling to the turf, reaching for his left knee. He walked off the field on his own power but was escorted to the locker room via cart after disappearing into the tunnel.
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reported that Dart attempted to return to the game in the first half, only to be turned away by New York medical personnel. ESPN’s Laura Rutledge added that she witnessed an interaction between Giants staff members in which one person said “They just took his uniform.”
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New York general manager Joe Schoen told Rutledge that Dart “was going to be OK.” Raanan reported that X-ray scans on Dart’s left knee were negative. Giants head coach John Harbaugh confirmed that Dart will undergo an MRI on Tuesday to determine the severity of his malady.
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Jaxson Dart MCL recovery timeline
SNY’s Connor Hughes reported that the Giants are anticipating Dart to miss 2-4 weeks of action as a result of his latest injury. He also that upon Dart’s return, he could opt to sport a knee brace.
If Dart were to miss 2-4 weeks, that would fall right in line with the expected length of absence for a player who suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain. Jordan Love missed two games with a Grade 2 sprain in 2024, while T.J. Watt was unable to take part in the Steelers‘ wild-card round game against the Ravens after suffering an MCL sprain in Week 18 that same year. Hughes noted that former Jets quarterback Zach Wilson was felled by an MCL sprain last year. He, too, received a 2-4 week injury absence prognosis He went on to miss 51 days — a little more than seven weeks — as a result of his ailment.
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We won’t know the full timeline of Dart’s return until the results of his scan are made public. Grade 1 sprains can take between one and two weeks to clear up, according to the Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute. Meanwhile, a Grade 3 sprain typically takes more than a month to recover — according to the Cleveland Clinic, the injury refers to when the MCL is completely torn.
Stay tuned for updates.
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MCL sprains grades
Like most sprains, MCL injuries are placed on a chart, with higher grades referring to more serious injuries. MCL tears and sprains are practically synonymous — a tear is merely a more severe version of a sprain, while every MCL sprain involves at least some of the ligament fibers tearing.
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With that, here’s a breakdown of the different types of MCL sprains and what each entails.
|
Strain grade |
Description |
Expected recovery |
|
Grade 1 |
The player tore less than 10% of fibers in his ligament. Knee is still stable, although patients are likely to feel tenderness and mild pain. |
1-2 weeks |
|
Grade 2 |
Moderate tear, MCL is partially torn. Typically affects the superficial part of the ligament. Knee is unstable, especially when moved by hand. Patients can expect to feel severe pain and tenderness on inner side of knee. |
2-4 weeks |
|
Grade 3 |
MCL tears completely, both in the superficial and deep parts of ligament. Knee is very unstable and loose. Patients experience intense pain and tenderness. Often accompanied by other knee maladies, namely ACL damage. |
4-8 weeks |
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
