A rough season got rougher for the New York Jets in Week 16.
They lost the contest to the Los Angeles Rams 19-9 and their star rookie offensive tackle, Olu Fashanu, was carted off of the field.
ESPN NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler said the “early sense is the injury is not major, but he will need time to recover.”
In a separate post, Fowler did share that the former Penn State product is “likely” going to miss the rest of the season due to this injury. The Jets only have two games remaining against the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins respectively.
Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich revealed on Tuesday, December 24 that Fashanu will be placed on injured reserve which will end his season. He is dealing with “plantar fasciitis” and will likely need an operation at some point during the offseason, according to Ulbrich.
Jets Dodge a Major Bullet
It didn’t look good in the moment.
Fashanu was attended to by medical personnel on the field. He couldn’t put weight on his foot. Fashanu was carted off of the field. He was spotted with crutches in the locker room.
Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said immediately after the game that Fashanu was dealing with a lot of pain. This is already a lost season for the Jets with them being eliminated from postseason contention. One of the lone bright spots was the play of Fashanu. Not only for this season but for what was to come in the future.
Leading up to Week 16, Aaron Rodgers said Fashanu is a 10-year starter in this league. Ulbrich reiterated a similar message when speaking with the local media.
If Fashanu had as serious of an injury as it appeared to be on the field – his immediate future could have been compromised.
Offseason reps are incredibly valuable and because this injury occurred so late in the season it could have had an impact on his outlook for the 2025 season.
NFL Insider Says Jets Jobs Are Incredibly Attractive This Offseason
The Jets have been a laughing stock for the better part of a decade and a half. From not making the playoffs, to embarrassing moments, and constant headlines in the tabloids.
This offseason the green and white will once again be searching for a new head coach and a general manager.
NFL Insider Peter Schrager of Fox Sports said the Jets openings are “still seen as a very desirable one.”
“The salary cap situation is in good shape, the Jets have four of their five offensive linemen solidified up front, and there’s a bevy of young, talented players on the roster. There’s also not expected to be many GM jobs available this offseason,” Schrager explained. “This all leads to a strong list of expected candidates. I’d imagine a few more people currently without NFL jobs to get looks over the coming weeks, and then a list of names that includes Ray Agnew from Detroit, Mike Borgonzi from Kansas City and Mike Greenberg from Tampa Bay. By getting a nice two-month head start, the Jets have hit the ground running.”
Whoever takes over in 2025 is going to have a strong offensive line where four of the five starters are 27 years of age or younger. Morgan Moses, 33, is the only starting offensive lineman that is scheduled to be a free agent.
