Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed and right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele suffered serious injuries on consecutive plays during the opening drive against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, September 20, 2026. Both players were carted off the field and ruled out for the remainder of the game.
What was supposed to be a standard early-season matchup quickly turned grim for the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Playing against the New York Jets in their white-out home opener, the Packers lost two starters within the span of two snaps during the game’s opening minutes, reshaping the team’s personnel outlook immediately.
Jayden Reed Carted Off on a Spine Board After Hit by Demario Davis
The trouble began on the second play of the game. Wide receiver Jayden Reed caught a short swing pass from quarterback Jordan Love and absorbed a devastating blow from Jets linebacker Demario Davis after a 4-yard gain. The impact left the wide receiver face down on the turf and writhing in pain.
Trainers and medical personnel rushed onto the field immediately, turning Reed onto his back before strapping him to a long spine board and loading him onto a cart. The entire Green Bay sideline emptied onto the field, with many players dropping to a knee in prayer around the motionless receiver. Several Jets defensive players, including Davis, also remained nearby during the tense delay.
“Entire #Packers sideline onto the field surrounding Jayden Reed as he’s placed on the stretcher, cart waiting, He was moving his right leg, a good sign.”
Ryan Wood, USA Today
The franchise subsequently ruled Reed out for the remainder of the contest with a neck injury, though initial reports from the field varied slightly as medical evaluations continued. The loss carries heavy personnel weight for Green Bay, particularly because Reed missed 10 games last season due to a broken collarbone and subsequent foot surgery before signing a three-year extension prior to the 2026 campaign.
Zach Bako-Bewele Suffers Leg Injury on the Very Next Play
Before the Packers could even catch their breath from the stoppage, disaster struck their offensive front. On the play immediately following the resumption of action, right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele went down while blocking Jets rookie pass rusher David Bailey.
Bako-Bewele, formerly known as Zach Tom, slammed his fists against the turf in obvious frustration. Medical staff rushed back onto the field to tend to the lineman. Unlike Reed’s departure, Bako-Bewele was able to sit up, slapping hands with teammates and waving as he was driven away.
The team ruled Bako-Bewele out for the rest of the game with a significant knee injury. Anthony Belton immediately stepped in to replace Bako-Bewele at right tackle, facing an uphill battle against the New York defense.
Compound Pressures on an Already Battered Offensive Line
From a purely tactical perspective, the loss of Bako-Bewele threatens to unravel an offensive line that was already struggling to find stability. Green Bay surrendered 15 quarterback hits and four sacks that led directly to two turnovers during an opening-week collapse against the Minnesota Vikings, where defensive coordinator Brian Flores’s blitz packages exploited the unit’s interior vulnerabilities.
The offensive front has dealt with health setbacks across the board. Guard Aaron Banks returned from knee tendonitis in Week 2 after sitting out the opener, though questions remain about whether he is operating at full capacity. Meanwhile, the team added former Cincinnati Bengals starting guard Cordell Volson to the practice squad, signaling that front office personnel are scrambling for reinforcements.
Losing Bako-Bewele — who previously missed five games last season before signing a four-year extension in 2025 — robs the offense of its anchor. Combined with Reed’s absence on the outside, the team faces an immense challenge patching together an offense that saw two of its players loaded onto carts before the first quarter had barely begun.