Looks like the MetLife turf monster has struck again.
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Dawuane Smoot is out for the remainder of the season with a torn right Achilles tendon, which he suffered on a non-contact play during Thursday night’s Jags win over the Jets.
Smoot announced the news on his Instagram story, saying an MRI taken Friday showed the injury.
“I'm disappointed that I won't be able to finish the season on the field alongside my brothers as we fight for a postseason berth, but I'm proud of the work we have done as a team to put ourselves in a position to play meaningful football at this point in the season," he wrote. "I plan to be there for my teammates and support them as we work towards finishing strong."
Smoot was rushing the passer on a play late in the fourth quarter on a rainy night at MetLife when, after taking his first step, he crumpled to the ground for what looks like yet another non-contact lower body injury suffered by the Giants, Jets, or their opponents from MetLife’s Field Turf.
The playing surface will be replaced next season by a different synthetic surface, so hopefully, this will be the last.
Related
It could’ve also been the last play as a Jaguar for Smoot, who is finishing up a two-year, $10 million extension he signed prior to the 2021 season, and is scheduled to become a free agent later this winter.
His loss is a huge blow for Jacksonville, who could be in first place in the AFC South via tiebreaker by the end of the day and face Tennessee at home on Jan. 8 with the division title likely on the line.
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroWFAN
Listen live to WFAN via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Smart Speaker
Follow WFAN on Social Media:
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch