Wide receiver landed awkwardly on his neck and head and was taken to hospital

THE Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been hit with a huge injury blow on the eve of the season.

The wide receiver was left in a neck brace and faces a lengthy layoff.

Jalen McMillan suffered a neck injury in Tampa Bay’s preseason game against the Pittsburgh SteelersCredit: Reuters

McMillan was taken to hospital and later cleared to fly home in a neck braceCredit: Getty
Jalen McMillan, 23, suffered a “severely strained neck,” his coach Todd Bowles announced.

He landed awkwardly while jumping to make a catch in a preseason game last week.

McMillan came down on the back of his neck and head after a collision with Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Daryl Porter Jr.

Medical staff treated the receiver on the field and he was able to walk off.
The 23-year-old was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.He was then cleared to fly home in a neck brace.

The Buccaneers will place McMillan on injured reserve, which will rule him out for at least four games.

ESPN reported that he will likely be out until after the Week 9 bye.
McMillan was a third round NFL Draft pick by the Bucs last year.He played 13 games last season, recording 461 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
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Seven of his touchdown catches were in the final five weeks of the 2024 regular-season.His injury “shouldn’t be” career threatening, Bowles added.

The Buccaneers are already dealing with injury problems at wide receiver.

Chris Godwin is currently on the physically unable to perform list.

He is currently working his way back from having ankle surgery.

Mike Evans is expected to shoulder the biggest workload for the Buccaneers again.

Tampa Bay is looking to win a fifth straight NFC South title in 2025.

They finished 10-7 last year but lost to the Washington Commanders in the wild card round of the playoffs.

The last time they failed to win the NFC South was in 2020.

That season, Tom Brady’s team were a wild card that went all the way to Super Bowl LV and beat the Kansas City Chiefs.