Watson and Love both suffered injuries against the Bears as Green Bay sought to improve its playoff seeding.
With the playoffs a week away, Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love left Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears with an elbow injury.
Love suffered the injury in the first half and was replaced by backup Malik Willis. Love remained on the sideline for Green Bay’s next possession, and the Packers listed him as questionable to return. WillIs remained in the game after halftime as the Bears held a 14-13 lead.
The Packers also lost wide receiver Christian Watson to a non-contact knee injury in the first half. He was carted off the field and ruled out of the game at halftime.
The Packers entered Sunday having already clinched a playoff berth and a chance to improve their seeding. A win against the Bears would give them a chance to move up from the No. 7 seed to the No. 6 seed in the NFC bracket.
Love injures elbow on hit
Love suffered his injury on a first-and-10 play as the Packers trailed, 14-3 in the second quarter. He faced pressure in the pocket and dumped the ball off to running back Josh Jacobs as he got hit. Love stood up after the hit shaking and flexing his right hand. He pointed to his hand, and trainers took to the field to inspect the injury.
Prayers: #Packers QB Jordan Love injured his throwing hand.
Malik Willis is in the game.pic.twitter.com/ZKupZnumfg
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 5, 2025
Love then left the field and was replaced by Willis for Green Bay’s next play. Trainers continued to evaluate Love on the sideline before the Packers announced that he had sustained an elbow injury.
Jordan Love is having his arm looked at on the sideline pic.twitter.com/Wd08UnJRA5
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 5, 2025
Love did not return to the field as Willis continued to lead Green Bay’s offense. The extent of Love’s injury and his prognosis was initially unclear.
Watson goes down with non-contact knee injury
Watson suffered his injury prior to Love’s. He fell to the turf untouched while running a route and immediately grabbed his right knee in pain.
PRAYERS UP: #Packers receiver Christian Watson just suffered a non-contact injury.
Watson immediately grabbed his knee in pain.
🙏🙏🙏
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 5, 2025
Trainers tended to Watson on the field, and he eventually left on the back of a cart with his head in his hands.
Christian Watson was carted off to the locker room 🙏 pic.twitter.com/OR5ZDRQGWG
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 5, 2025
Watson is Green Bay’s top deep threat and the Packers’ third-leading receiver. He entered Sunday having tallied 29 catches for 620 yards (21.4 yards per reception) and two touchdowns.
The Packers will open the playoffs on the road next week. It appears likely that they’ll do so without Watson and questions about the health of their starting quarterback.
