Cardinals’ Michael Wilson Out for Season With Fractured Neck Vertebra
Arizona Cardinals receiver Michael Wilson will miss the rest of the NFL season with a neck fracture suffered in a 17-3 loss to Seattle. Coach Mike LaFleur announced it Monday. Quarterback Gardner Minshew is also being tested on his throwing arm.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson will miss the rest of the NFL season with a fracture in his neck, coach Mike LaFleur announced Monday, November 9. Wilson suffered the injury in Sunday's 17-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks and played on.
LaFleur, in his first year as head coach, said the injury happened on the fourth play of the game. Wilson finished with six catches for 60 yards.
"He's such a warrior that he didn't think much of it," LaFleur said. "And then obviously when the adrenaline wore down and he got his test today, that's when we knew."
Wilson told the team during the game that he had a kink in his neck. According to a person familiar with the injury, he fractured a vertebra and is expected to wear a brace for six weeks to two months. LaFleur said he is not worried about the injury being long term.
The play came on a 17-yard catch from quarterback Gardner Minshew. Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon tackled Wilson, who landed on his head.
Wilson, 26, ends the year with 51 catches for 546 yards and two touchdowns. That total ranks second on the team, and he got there despite playing through two broken ribs. He was a third-round pick out of Stanford in 2023 and had his first 1,000-yard season last year.
Receiver room thinning out
Wilson is the latest receiver Arizona has lost. Kendrick Bourne is out for the year with an ankle injury, and Jalen Brooks is also done for the season with a wrist injury. The team traded former first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Houston Texans last month.
The active group is now Simi Fehoko, Devin Duvernay, Reggie Virgil and Harrison Wallace III. Zay Jones, Shedrick Jackson and James Proche II are on the practice squad.
LaFleur said he has never dealt with this many injuries at one position. He told players in a Monday meeting that the losses create "a lot of opportunity."
"A lot of opportunity for guys to go out there and show us what they got," LaFleur said.
Minshew's arm under review
The quarterback position is also uncertain. Minshew was hit on the last play of the first half by Seahawks linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. as he threw, which caused a fumble. He appeared to be in pain and walked to the locker room at halftime.
The team is running tests on his right elbow and arm. LaFleur said Minshew could miss this week and that he will have more information Wednesday.
If Minshew cannot play, rookie Carson Beck would make his first regular-season NFL appearance. Beck, a third-round pick out of Miami, spent last week as the backup after serving as emergency third quarterback for the first eight weeks. The Cardinals traded veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett to the Baltimore Ravens last week.
LaFleur said the offense would not change much under Beck. "Foundationally, we're going to do a lot of the similar stuff," he said.
Arizona is 3-6 and will try to end a 10-game home losing streak when it hosts the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. The Cardinals then play the Kansas City Chiefs, the Washington Commanders and the Philadelphia Eagles before their Week 14 bye.
