Teams take big hit by Sunday injuries

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) is brought down by Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller (23) during the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) is brought down by Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller (23) during the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- A major knee injury has ended Saquon Barkley's season.

His career still has a long way to go, New York Giants Coach Joe Judge predicted Monday a little more than 24 hours after his star halfback tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on a seemingly harmless tackle in a loss to the Chicago Bears.

The Giants (0-2) said earlier in the day an MRI in a New York hospital confirmed Barkley had torn his ACL, meaning he would not play again in 2020.

Judge said backups Dion Lewis and Wayne Gallman would replace the 2018 NFL offensive rookie of the year. The rookie coach also issued a warning to the league.

"I won't fall asleep on 26 [Barkley]," Judge said. "It's going to be a hell of a story."

Barkley and the Giants weren't the only ones hit hard by injuries Sunday.

The San Francisco 49ers had to wait a few extra hours to confirm that 2019 Defensive Rookie of the Year Nick Bosa and fellow starting defensive lineman Solomon Thomas had season-ending torn ACLs in their knees. An MRI truck expected to meet them at their hotel in West Virginia broke down, leading to the delay.

The broken-down truck, however, is the least of Coach Kyle Shanahan's concerns.

Along with the injuries to two starting defensive linemen, the Niners are also dealing with a high ankle sprain to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo that likely will sideline him this week, a sprained MCL that has shut down running back Raheem Mostert and injuries to running back Tevin Coleman (knee), defensive tackle D.J. Jones (ankle) and linebacker Dre Greenlaw (Fayetteville, Arkansas Razorbacks) (thigh) that all came during a 31-13 victory against the New York Jets.

Carolina Panthers All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey is expected to miss "multiple weeks" with a high right ankle sprain he sustained in Carolina's 31-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Panthers Coach Matt Rhule said on a conference call Monday: "I hate it for him. No one wants to be out there more than Christian does. But everything happens for a reason. I'm sure he is rehabbing right now."

High ankle sprains are generally considered a 4- to 6-week injury, but Rhule said he had no timeline for McCaffrey's return.

Minnesota Vikings four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Anthony Barr will miss the remainder of the season because of a torn pectoral muscle, Coach Mike Zimmer said Monday.

Barr was hurt before halftime of Minnesota's 28-11 loss Sunday at Indianapolis, and Zimmer said the seventh-year pro would be placed on injured reserve.

Denver quarterback Drew Lock could be out until midseason with a severely bruised throwing shoulder and whenever he does return he'll be without his top target for the rest of the season.

Coach Vic Fangio confirmed Monday that Pro Bowl wide receiver Courtland Sutton tore his left ACL in his season debut Sunday at Pittsburgh and is done for the season.

Sutton, who had three receptions for 66 yards after missing the opener with a sprained right A.C. joint, got injured while making the tackle on an interception by Steelers cornerback Joe Haden in Denver's 26-21 loss to the Steelers.

Sutton made the Pro Bowl last season after catching 72 passes for 1,112 yards and 6 touchdowns despite a turnstile at quarterback.

Barkley will have to wait for the swelling in his knee to subside before having surgery, which the team said would be in the near future.

Barkley was hurt near the Chicago sideline after trying to fend off Bears safety Eddie Jackson on a 6-yard carry early in the second quarter. The No. 2 overall draft choice in 2018 dragged his right leg behind him as he was helped back across the field to the Giants sideline.

After a short conversation with trainers, he left the field on a cart. The 23-year-old also seemed to be shaken up after he was tackled at the end of an 18-yard run late in the opening quarter, but he quickly re-entered the game.

"Saquon is a tremendous player and we have even more respect for him as a person," Judge said. "I personally hated [this] for as hard as he has worked and as much of an impact he has on this team."

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) is carted to the locker room after being injured during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) is carted to the locker room after being injured during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is attended to on the bench by medical staff after being injured against the Chicago Bears during the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is attended to on the bench by medical staff after being injured against the Chicago Bears during the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs against the Chicago Bears during the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs against the Chicago Bears during the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is helped off the field after being injured against the Chicago Bears during the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is helped off the field after being injured against the Chicago Bears during the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

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