Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson left Thursday night’s game against the Carolina Panthers with a chest injury and was transported to a local hospital for evaluation, but he made a remarkable return to Lambeau Field and finished the game.
Watson was hurt at the conclusion of a 53-yard deep reception, landing awkwardly as he completed the play. He walked off the field under his own power, then proceeded to the locker room without assistance. Still wearing his shoulder pads, he climbed into the back of an ambulance himself. The team described the hospital trip as precautionary.
He was back at the stadium shortly thereafter, emerging from the tunnel and jogging to the Packers’ sideline with 6:56 remaining in the third quarter. Watson re-entered the game at the 4:01 mark of the third and caught a 5-yard pass on the first play of the fourth quarter.
The sequence echoed a similar episode last season, when Watson went to a hospital in Denver on Dec. 15 to be checked for broken ribs. Tests came back negative, and he played in the following game.
Before exiting Thursday’s contest, Watson had recorded six catches for 100 yards. His 53-yard grab was his third reception of 50 or more yards this season, the most in the NFL. Since 2022, Watson has 11 catches of 50-plus yards, second in the league only to Nico Collins (12). The play also marked his 13th reception of 20 or more yards this season, second in the NFL behind only Jaxon Smith-Njigba (14).
In addition, tight end Josh Whyle was ruled out of Thursday night’s game after suffering a concussion.