According to head coach Shane Steichen, Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner will undergo season-ending surgery on his herniated disc and be placed on injured reserve (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport):
When it rains in Indianapolis, it seems to pour with injuries, as the Colts are already without starting quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) for the season and now their best player will be joining him on I.R.—along with a pair of starting veterans: right tackle Braden Smith (neck/concussion) and Charvarius Ward (concussion), recently.
Not to mention, former NFL All-Pro cornerback Sauce Garder’s (calf) return isn’t exactly imminent.
Regarding Buckner, the veteran defensive tackle returned last Monday night for Week 16 against his former team, recording 5 tackles (4 solo). Per PFF (subscription), he earned a +61.1 overall grade in primetime.
Prior to his return, he had been out recovering from his initial neck injury since Week 9 on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers—and was subsequently activated off injured reserve just ahead of this past Monday night’s game.
That being said, while it looked like it may have just been routine veteran rest or maintenance for his still recovering neck, having missed Wednesday’s practice, it was a discouraging sign when Buckner missed a consecutive practice on Thursday—downgrading his chances for playing Sunday at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He reportedly re-aggravated the initial neck injury during Monday night’s loss, and his season is now over—opting for surgery.
The 31-year-old former Pro Bowl veteran defensive tackle finishes his 2025 campaign prematurely because of the re-occurring neck injury with 47 tackles (30 solo), 9 tackles for loss, and 4.0 sacks during 10 starts. He has one-year left on his current contract with the Colts and is due a $26.6M cap hit next year.
He’s already reportedly weighed ‘life beyond football,’ although it doesn’t appear as though he’s retiring soon—as Steichen expects him to be back for the 2026 season. We’ll have to wait and see though.
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