By Amy Tennery
(Reuters) – Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. suffered a season-ending knee injury during Sunday’s 37-34 win over the rival Cincinnati Bengals, punctuating an NFL Week 7 riddled with injuries.
The three-time Pro Bowler went down in the first quarter after attempting to tackle Bengals cornerback Darius Phillips, who had intercepted a deep throw by Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield. He was clutching his left knee while lying on the ground after the play.
“Odell – the energy he brings to practice, the energy he brings to games – no one else is going to be able to bring that type of juice,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters on Monday. “It’s not easy. I’m very disappointed for Odell but that’s the nature of this beast.”
Beckham, who was diagnosed with a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), was the latest high-profile NFL player to suffer a major injury this season, after the league was forced adjust its preseason camps and do away with preseason games due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending compound ankle fracture and dislocation earlier this month. On Sunday his backup, veteran Andy Dalton, was carted off the field with a head injury following a violent hit from Washington linebacker Jon Bostic that temporarily rendered the quarterback motionless on the field.
Bostic was ejected from the game. The Cowboys said on Monday that Dalton had suffered a concussion.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Arizona Cardinals linebacker Isaiah Irving left the field on a stretcher after sustaining a neck injury on a block during a kickoff in his team’s 37-34 overtime win over the Seattle Seahawks, and teammate Kenyan Drake left with an ankle injury.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
