Football is a game of inches, but sometimes it feels like it’s a game of heartbreak. Injuries are an unfortunate—and unavoidable—part of the sport. And while every NFL team deals with them, some injuries hit harder than others.

Whether it is because of the in-season implications or the gruesome nature of the injury—over the years, there have been some absolutely brutal ones.

Time to look back and pick out every NFL franchise’s most devastating injury of all time.

Which players had the worst injuries ever for each NFL team?

Arizona Cardinals: Carson Palmer, 2014

The Arizona Cardinals were rolling along with a 7-1 record back in 2014 when quarterback Carson Palmer suffered a torn ACL.

Just one year before, general manager Steve Keim acquired two-time Pro Bowler Carson Palmer for a pair of late-round draft picks. It was an incredible acquisition for the Cardinals and will certainly go down as one of the best trades in franchise history, pairing him with Head Coach Bruce Arians.

However, once the 34-year-old suffered a torn ACL, it effectively ended any hopes Arizona may have had of winning a Super Bowl championship.

Atlanta Falcons: Jamal Anderson, 1999

Jamal Anderson was a beast in the late ’90s. He rushed for 1,846 yards in 1998 and was a driving force in the Falcons making the Super Bowl.

But everything unraveled as his ACL gave out. Anderson was never the same again, and the Falcons would slip back to the pack as their star running back did the same.

Making it all the more painful, Anderson had missed two weeks of training camp in a contract dispute, finally reporting two days before the first exhibition game after receiving a five-year, $32 million NFL contract, including a $7.5 million signing bonus, adding to the noise around the injury.

Baltimore Ravens: Jamal Lewis, 2001

Lewis, who ran for 1,364 yards as a rookie the year prior and had a monster playoff en route to Baltimore’s Super Bowl win, tore his ACL during training camp as the Ravens were trying to repeat. They still had a solid NFL squad, but they were not the same threat they were with their bruising runner in the lineup.

Buffalo Bills: Damar Hamlin, 2023

Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest on Monday Night Football was a moment that transcended sports. His recovery is a miracle, but the emotional toll on the Bills and their fans is a wound that won’t soon heal.

Carolina Panthers: Luke Kuechly, 2020

Luke Kuechly’s retirement was heartbreaking but understandable. Years of concussions forced him to walk away to prioritize his health, leaving a hole in Carolina’s defense that still hasn’t been filled.

Chicago Bears: Gale Sayers, 1970

Gale Sayers was the 1965 Rookie of the Year after scoring 22 touchdowns, an NFL record at the time that would stand for over a decade. Bears fans were immediately enchanted, but he would only play three more full seasons, and in two of them, he would lead the NFL in rushing before being forced into retirement by a gnarly knee injury.

Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, 2023

It took the Cincinnati Bengals literally decades to get a franchise quarterback, and needless to say, they were pumped to see the way that Joe Burrow took on the role especially after he upset Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game and got them within striking distance of the Super Bowl.

Bengals fans thought they had a Chiefs-like run in the making, but disaster struck early the next season when he suffered a devastating knee injury that ended his NFL season.

Cleveland Browns: Nick Chubb, 2023

In Week 2 of the 2023 season, Nick Chubb, one of the most beloved players in the Browns organization and, frankly, the league, suffered a gruesome knee injury near the goal line against Pittsburgh. The injury was so severe it required two surgeries to repair, and though he has returned to action, the effects still seem to linger.

Dallas Cowboys: Michael Irvin, 1999

The “Playmaker” had his NFL career cut short in a game against the Eagles when a tackle left him with a spinal cord injury that terrified fans. Irvin’s fiery competitiveness defined the Cowboys dynasty, but his abrupt retirement left a void that Dallas struggled to fill for years.

Denver Broncos: Terrell Davis, 1999

Coming off a 2,000-yard MVP season and back-to-back Super Bowl wins, Terrell Davis was poised for more. But a torn ACL in 1999 ended his dominance and left Broncos fans wondering how much more their Hall of Fame back could’ve accomplished had the injury not nerfed his explosiveness.

Because Davis did play again after that knee injury, he wasn’t the same guy we’d seen in the 1998 NFL season.

Detroit Lions: Chuck Hughes, 1971

Lions wide receiver Chuck Hughes collapsed on the field in a 1971 game against the Bears, later passing away from a heart attack. It remains one of the darkest moments in NFL history—a tragedy that forever changed the way teams approach player safety.

Green Bay Packers: Sterling Sharpe, 1994

Sterling Sharpe was a record-setting receiver and Brett Favre’s favorite target. But a neck injury in 1994 forced him into early retirement, robbing Green Bay of a Hall of Fame talent just as they were becoming Super Bowl contenders.

Houston Texans: J.J. Watt, 2016

Watt had already been battling through a groin injury for six or seven weeks when he tore the core muscles so severely that he was forced out of their Wild Card Round matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Following the surgery, just getting out of bed and walking down the hallway was almost unbearable, and it got to the point that he flirted with retirement. This was the beginning of a purgatory-like period for Watt and the franchise, as the star’s body continually betrayed him.

Indianapolis Colts: Peyton Manning, 2013

While his surgery resulted from a series of injuries rather than a singular one, it also was the first domino to fall in the unthinkable happenings in the Indianapolis Colts parting ways with their long-time NFL MVP quarterback—only to see him go on to win an MVP and a Super Bowl in Denver.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Fred Taylor, 2004

‘04 was a rare period of prosperity for an embattled Jaguars franchise until devastation struck, and their star NFL running back, Fred Taylor, went down with another injury, something that admittedly was a fairly frequent occurrence.

The Jaguars would go on to lose to the Houston Texans in the season finale and miss the playoffs completely without him, halting one of their most promising seasons in their tracks.

Kansas City Chiefs: Eric Berry, 2011

The Kansas City Chiefs were looking to build on their division-title-winning season from 2010, but once Eric Berry went down in the first game, everything fell apart.

The defensive back was coming off a breakout rookie year that resulted in him being named to the Pro Bowl. It really looked like the Chiefs were building something. However, during their season-opening game against Buffalo, he was blocked low by Buffalo wide receiver Steve Johnson in their NFL season opener and wound up missing the rest of the season, which sent ripple effects through the organization.

Las Vegas Raiders: Bo Jackson, 1991

Bo Jackson was an otherworldly talent, but his football career ended after a hip injury in a 1991 NFL playoff game. Jackson’s dual-sport brilliance left fans wondering what heights he could’ve reached if his career hadn’t been cut short.

Despite attempting a comeback, Jackson’s football career was effectively over, though he continued to play baseball for several more years.

Los Angeles Chargers: Drew Brees, 2005

Drew Brees injured his shoulder in the final game of the 2005 season, leading the Chargers to all but move on from him, considering the way they low-balled him the following offseason. It was a decision that changed the course of NFL history, as Brees went on to become a legend in New Orleans.

This was a massive sliding doors moment for both the franchise and its insulted quarterback.

Los Angeles Rams: Kurt Warner, 2002

Kurt Warner’s injuries in 2002 marked the end of the “Greatest Show on Turf.” Multiple broken fingers and eventually a broken hand sidelined Warner and led to his eventual benching, signaling the end of an iconic era for the Rams.

Miami Dolphins: Tua Taglovailoa, 2022

Tua Tagovailoa’s 2022 concussion was horrifying. Seeing him lying motionless on the field was a moment that shook the league and has had ripple effects since then with how we talk about player safety.

And how fans evaluate whether or not a guy, even if he is one of their favorite players, “should” play football or not.

Minnesota Vikings: Daunte Culpepper, 2005

Daunte Culpepper was a star, a quarterback who could beat you with his arm or his legs. But a catastrophic knee injury in 2005 ended his run in Minnesota. For an NFL franchise that always seems to be chasing its next great quarterback, Culpepper’s injury felt like a cruel twist of fate, from which he and the franchise never really recovered.

New England Patriots: Tom Brady, 2008

Tom Brady tearing his ACL in Week 1 of 2008 was a gut punch for Patriots fans. Fresh off a near-perfect NFL season, New England had Super Bowl aspirations again, but Brady’s injury threw everything into chaos and wasted a year of the Moss-Brady prime.

New Orleans Saints: Bobby Hebert, 1991

Bobby Hebert had the Saints flying high at 6-0 in 1991, igniting hope in a city that had seen more heartbreak than triumph to that point. But a shoulder injury sidelined him for most of the season and stifled their early momentum. Hebert returned late in the season, and the Saints did sneak into the playoffs but exited quickly, leaving fans to wonder what could have been had their rhythm not been disrupted or if they had even earned a bye!

New York Giants: Jason Sehorn, 1998

During his early days, Jason Sehorn was one of the NFL’s most dynamic cornerbacks, but his career trajectory changed in an instant during a preseason game in 1998. Returning a kickoff—a role he had no business playing—Sehorn tore his ACL and MCL, robbing him of the elite speed that made him a star and crushing Giants fans.

New York Jets: Aaron Rodgers, 2023

Aaron Rodgers was supposed to be the savior, the quarterback who would finally lift the Jets out of decades of mediocrity. Instead, his Achilles tear on the fourth play of the season in 2023 became the cruelest twist in a saga filled with heartbreak.

After watching how this saga has played out, it is safe to say that this is the most devastating injury for an admittedly cursed NFL franchise.

Philadelphia Eagles: Randall Cunningham, 1993

The next quarterback injury to discuss happened to Randall Cunningham in 1993. Cunningham had the Eagles flying high as the team began the year 4-0, and he was named Offensive Player of the Month in September. But during the fourth game, Cunningham fractured his leg and missed the rest of the season. The Eagles tried Bubby Brister and Ken O’Brien, but neither was able to do the job.

This was basically the anti- Carson Wentz !

Pittsburgh Steelers: Ryan Shazier, 2017

Ryan Shazier was the Steelers’ defensive anchor, a linebacker with the speed and instincts to change games. But in 2017, everything changed. A head-first tackle against the Bengals left Shazier motionless on the field. The spinal injury ended his season and eventually his career, leaving the Steelers and fans around the NFL heartbroken.

San Francisco 49ers: Ronnie Lott, 1985

Ronnie Lott’s decision to amputate part of his pinky after a brutal injury in 1985 is the stuff of legend. Facing surgery and an eight-week recovery during the playoffs, Lott chose to have the tip of his finger removed so he could stay on the field. This one was epic, yes, but devastating nonetheless.

Seattle Seahawks: Steve Largent, 1989

Steve Largent was the Seahawks’ first superstar, a Hall of Famer who made clutch catches look routine. But his final season in 1989 was marred by a broken elbow suffered on the dreaded turf at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. The injury sidelined Largent for six games, posted career lows in receptions and yards, and called it quits after the end of the season, sending the NFL franchise into a tailspin.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, 2007

Carnell “Cadillac” Williams burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2005, electrifying fans with his explosive, powerful running. But by 2007, injuries began to derail his NFL career. A devastating knee injury that season was followed by another the next year, effectively ending his time as the Buccaneers lead back.

Tennessee Titans: Steve McNair, 2005

Steve McNair was a warrior who played through pain and carried the franchise on his back. But by 2005, the hits had added up, and a back injury ended his season prematurely.

The aftermath was even more painful. The Titans locked McNair out of team facilities the following offseason, a move that was cold and calculated. They feared another injury would force them to pay his massive contract, but in doing so, they fractured a relationship with one of the greatest players in franchise history, and it ultimately resulted in his departure from this NFL team.

Washington Commanders: Alex Smith, 2018

Alex Smith’s journey from NFL starter to an inspirational figure is both remarkable and gut-wrenching. In 2018, Smith suffered a horrific leg injury during a game against the Texans. A routine third-down play turned catastrophic as J.J. Watt and Kareem Jackson converged on Smith, snapping both his tibia and fibula. The image of him crumpled on the field was haunting, but it was just the beginning.

Smith’s recovery wasn’t just about football—it was about survival. The injury led to a life-threatening infection and 17 surgeries. He fought back, overcoming odds most of us couldn’t dream of, and eventually returned to the NFL. But for Washington, the injury was devastating at the moment and symbolized a franchise perennially cursed by misfortune.