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Biggest sports injuries this week: Gracen Halton, Manuel Neuer, Lamine Yamal and more across the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and soccer

The new board: the biggest sports injuries across the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and the big soccer leagues as of November 9, 2026, weighted to the ankle and foot. One athlete is back from surgery, one more is headed for it, and each league has a lesson for everyday athletes.

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· 11 min read

Medically reviewed by Dr. Efe Ozturk · Last reviewed

Here’s the new board: five sports, 19 athletes, and what each injury teaches the rest of us. None of them was on our November 7 scoreboard. Five are back from earlier boards because something changed, and we say what.

We have no connection with these athletes or teams and haven’t examined them. Everything here comes from public reports as of Monday, November 9, 2026, and status can change quickly.

The biggest sports injuries this week: the scoreboard

AthleteTeamLeagueInjury as reportedReported status
Gracen Halton49ersNFLBroken left ankle (Nov. 8)Out for the season, his coach said; no surgery reported (Nov. 8)[1,8]
Mike Evans49ersNFLRight Achilles tendinitisMissed a second straight game; at best questionable for Week 10, NFL Network reported (Nov. 8)[9,10,11]
Puka NacuaRamsNFLKnee, hurt on the final offensive snap (Nov. 8)Rams don’t believe the ACL is torn (Nov. 8); MRI set for Nov. 9, no result reported as of Nov. 9[12]
Jake FergusonCowboysNFLLeft knee (Nov. 8)Imaging planned; no result reported as of Nov. 9[13]
Antoine Winfield Jr.BuccaneersNFLAnkleLeft the Nov. 8 game in the second quarter (Nov. 9)[14]
Anthony DavisWizardsNBARight ankle sprain (Nov. 4)Missed Nov. 6 and Nov. 7; listed questionable for Nov. 9, no final call reported as of Nov. 9[2]
Keyonte GeorgeJazzNBASprained right ankleMissed the fourth quarter Nov. 8 (Nov. 9)[15]
Jalen DurenPistonsNBAStrained right hamstringCleared for on-court work; re-evaluation in about two weeks (Nov. 8)[16]
Kevin BahlFlamesNHLRuptured Achilles tendon in warmups (Nov. 6)Injured reserve; season-ending surgery planned (Nov. 8)[4,17]
Yanni GourdeLightningNHLOffseason hip surgerySeason debut Nov. 8 after missing 16 games (Nov. 9)[5]
Jordan StaalHurricanesNHLTorn calf muscle (Oct. 11)First skate with teammates Nov. 7; hopes to play Nov. 12 or 14 (Nov. 7)[18]
Mathew BarzalIslandersNHLLeft knee inflammationSkated in a regular jersey Nov. 7; did not play that night (Nov. 7)[19]
Dominik SzoboszlaiLiverpoolEPLKnee, side not reportedSubbed off in the 69th minute Nov. 8; Hungary trip in doubt (Nov. 9)[20,21]
Granit XhakaSunderlandEPLCalf, per his managerWent off in the opening minutes Nov. 8; no timeframe (Nov. 8)[22]
Lamine YamalBarcelonaLa LigaDiscomfort in the right kneeMisses Spain vs. Czech Republic Nov. 12; Spain still hopes to have him for England (Nov. 9)[23]
Manuel NeuerBayern MunichBundesligaPartial tendon tear, right footOut for now; no club timeline (Nov. 8)[3,24]
Gio ReynaStrasbourgLigue 1Discomfort in the left thigh (Nov. 6)Withdrawn from the U.S. squad (Nov. 7)[25]
Rafael LeãoGalatasaraySüper LigAdvanced strain with bleeding, back of the right thighMisses Portugal’s Nov. 14 and 17 games; no club timeline (Nov. 8)[26]
Fredrik AursnesBenficaLiga PortugalMuscle injury, right thighMissed the Nov. 8 match; no return date (Nov. 8)[27]

NFL injuries: a broken ankle, a stubborn Achilles and two knees

Gracen Halton went down with 4:03 left in Sunday’s win over the Raiders when teammate Keion White rolled into his left foot and ankle. Staff put an air cast on the leg and carted him off, and his coach said the broken ankle ends his season.[1] He was taken to the X-ray room, and no outlet has reported whether he needs surgery.[8]

Mike Evans left an Oct. 19 game with soreness in his right Achilles, and his coach called it Achilles tendinitis.[9] Tendinitis is irritation and inflammation of the Achilles, the large cord that joins the calf muscles to the heel bone.[28] What’s new: he missed a second straight game, and NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that he is, at best, questionable for Week 10.[10,11]

Puka Nacua hurt his knee on the Rams’ last offensive snap. The Rams don’t believe he tore his ACL. An MRI was set for Monday, with no result out yet.[12] Dallas tight end Jake Ferguson, on our November 2 board with an ankle sprain, now has a new problem: he hurt his left knee on an 11-yard catch. The team planned imaging, with no result out yet.[13] Tampa Bay safety Antoine Winfield Jr. left Sunday night’s loss in Chicago in the second quarter with an ankle injury.[14]

The lesson: A broken ankle can be put back together. When the break also knocks the ankle out of joint, an operation is usually needed, and the bones can be held with a plate and screws.[29] In a study of 31 NFL players who had ankle fracture surgery, 22 returned. Those who came back showed no measurable drop in snaps or performance compared with before the injury or with uninjured players.[30] That is a group number, not a forecast for Halton. For tendinitis, surgery is an option when pain doesn’t improve after 6 months of other care.[28] See our fractures and trauma and Achilles tendon pages.

NBA injuries: two sprained ankles and a hamstring

Anthony Davis landed on a teammate’s foot Wednesday and sprained his right ankle. He finished that game, then sat out Friday and Saturday. What’s new since our November 5 board: two missed games, and he was listed questionable again for Monday in Detroit.[2]

Utah’s Keyonte George scored 19 points in three quarters at Minnesota on Sunday, then missed the fourth with a sprained right ankle.[15] Detroit’s Jalen Duren has been out two weeks with a strained right hamstring. He is cleared for on-court work and will be checked again in about two more weeks.[16]

The lesson: Ankle sprains are everywhere in basketball. In four NBA seasons, about 26% of players sprained an ankle each season, and a sprain in the past year was linked with 1.41 times the rate of a new one.[31] When sprains leave an ankle that keeps giving way, surgery to repair or rebuild the outer ligaments works well. In a review of 1,384 patients, 95% returned to sport, at a mean of about 12 weeks. Among professional and competitive athletes, the rate was 93%.[6] These are general numbers, not a forecast for Davis or George. See our ankle sprains page.

NHL and MLB injuries: an Achilles rupture, a hip surgery comeback and a torn calf

Calgary’s Kevin Bahl ruptured his Achilles tendon warming up for Friday’s game, a freak injury, his coach said.[17] Bahl went on injured reserve and will have season-ending surgery.[4]

Tampa Bay’s Yanni Gourde made his season debut Sunday after missing the first 16 games following offseason hip surgery.[5]

Carolina’s Jordan Staal tore a calf muscle in warmups Oct. 11. On Saturday, he skated with teammates for the first time and said he would like to try to play in Helsinki on Nov. 12 or 14, though he would not promise it.[18] The Islanders’ Mathew Barzal, on our November 5 board, took the next step: he skated in a regular jersey Saturday for the first time while working back from left knee inflammation. He did not play that night.[19]

Baseball is in its offseason. We found no new hip-down surgery for a notable player reported since November 7.

The lesson: Surgery is how a torn Achilles gets fixed in many athletes. In a review of pro athletes in four sports, 76% returned after an Achilles rupture, at a mean of 11 months.[32] After hip arthroscopy, an operation through small cuts with a camera, 84.6% of patients in a large review returned to play, at a mean of 7.4 months.[7] For calf strains, age and a past calf strain are the strongest risk factors for the next one.[33] These are general numbers, not forecasts for Bahl, Gourde or Staal. See our sports medicine page.

Soccer injuries: EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Süper Lig and Portugal

We checked the biggest clubs in every major league. Clubs with no notable new injury below the hip are left off.

EPL: Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai pulled up near halftime at Crystal Palace on Sunday, played on in a knee brace and came off in the 69th minute. His manager said he “extended a little bit the knee,” and the medical staff will decide on Hungary duty.[20,21] Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka felt something on the last sprint of the warm-up against Chelsea and went off within minutes. His manager said it looks like a calf injury, with no timeframe yet.[22]

La Liga: Lamine Yamal played all 90 minutes of Barcelona’s game at Atlético Madrid but finished with discomfort in his right knee. After tests, he stayed in Barcelona to recover and will miss Spain’s Nov. 12 game against the Czech Republic. Spain still hopes to have him for the England match.[23]

Bundesliga: Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer went off shortly before halftime of Saturday’s win at Mainz. The club said he has a partial tendon tear in his right foot and will be out for now, with no timeline.[3,24]

Ligue 1: Strasbourg’s Gio Reyna scored Friday, then asked to come off three minutes later with discomfort in his left thigh. U.S. Soccer withdrew him from this month’s games, citing an unspecified injury.[25]

Süper Lig: Galatasaray’s Rafael Leão, on our October 30 board with a groin strain, has a new injury. He scored in the 7th minute Saturday and came off in the 50th. An MRI showed an advanced strain with bleeding in the muscles at the back of his right thigh, and he will miss Portugal’s two games.[26]

Portugal: Benfica said midfielder Fredrik Aursnes has a muscle injury in his right thigh. He missed Sunday’s match, with no return date given.[27]

The lesson: The hamstrings are the three muscles along the back of the thigh.[34] Their injuries made up 24% of all injuries in the latest season of a 21-season study of European pro clubs, double the share at the start.[35] Most heal without an operation, and surgery is mainly for tears where the tendon pulls off the bone.[34] When that happens, repair works: in a review of 1,530 repaired hamstrings, 84.5% of patients returned to sport, at an average of 6.5 months, and 92.6% were satisfied.[36] That is general research, not a forecast for any player named here.

The pattern across leagues: the ankle, the Achilles and the back of the thigh

Nine of our 19 athletes hurt an ankle, foot, Achilles or calf. Four more hurt the thigh. Research on these injuries points to one thing to watch: the repeat.

In 16 years of European pro soccer data, most time lost came from injuries that kept players out up to 4 weeks. A repeat of the same injury kept players out longer than the first one for Achilles pain and calf, groin, hamstring and quadriceps injuries.[37]

These are group numbers, not a forecast for any athlete named here.

What to know about the limits: Recovery takes time and isn’t certain. In the NFL ankle fracture study, 9 of 31 players did not return.[30] About a quarter of pro athletes didn’t return after an Achilles rupture, and those who did tended to perform below uninjured players.[32] After hamstring repair, 3.5% had sciatic nerve problems and 1.2% re-tore the tendon.[36] After ankle stabilization surgery, older age and a higher body mass index (weight for height) raised the risk of not returning.[6]

What this means for you

You don’t need a pro contract to break an ankle, strain a calf or tear an Achilles. On our board, 1 athlete is back from surgery and 1 more is headed for it.[5,4] In our sports medicine practice, Dr. Efe Ozturk, a Foot and Ankle Surgeon and podiatrist, starts with an exam. Seeing a surgeon early keeps every option open. With in-office X-ray and ultrasound, bone, ligament and tendon can often be checked in one visit, and we arrange an MRI when needed.

Dr. Ozturk performs foot and ankle surgery, including fracture repair, ankle ligament repair and Achilles repair, through our Center for Lower Extremity Surgery (external site). Learn more about Achilles tendon surgery (external site) there. We see patients at our Lyndhurst, Paramus and Millburn offices. Please call our office at 908-215-5953 to inquire about your insurance.

Common questions

How long does it take an NFL player to come back from a broken ankle?

For most broken ankles, the bone needs at least 6 weeks to start knitting and 10 to 12 weeks to heal fully.[29] In NFL players who had ankle fracture surgery, 71% returned, and those who did played at their old level.[30]

Can you come back from a ruptured Achilles?

Most pro athletes do. In four major sports, 76% returned, after a mean of 11 months.[32]

How long is recovery after hip arthroscopy?

In a large review, patients returned to play at a mean of 7.4 months, and 84.6% made it back.[7]

When to see a Foot and Ankle Surgeon

About the author

Dr. Efe Ozturk

Foot and Ankle Surgeon. Dr. Ozturk is double board certified, as a Diplomate of the American Board of Podiatric Medicine (DABPM) and a Fellow of the Academy of Physicians in Wound Healing (FAPWH), and is a Fellow of the American Society of Podiatric Surgeons (FASPS) and the American Society of Podiatric Medicine (FASPM). Trained in forefoot and rearfoot reconstructive surgery at Morristown Medical Center; sees patients in Lyndhurst, Paramus and Millburn.

Where to be seen

Dr. Ozturk sees patients at each of these offices, and one phone number reaches all of them.

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References

  1. 1.ESPN (Nick Wagoner). 49ers lose DT Gracen Halton to season-ending ankle fracture. Published November 8, 2026. espn.com (external site)
  2. 2.Heavy (Erik C. Anderson) via Yahoo Sports. Washington Wizards announce Anthony Davis injury before Pistons game. Published November 9, 2026. sports.yahoo.com (external site)
  3. 3.ESPN News Services. Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer set for spell on sidelines with foot injury. Published November 8, 2026. espn.com (external site)
  4. 4.Calgary Flames. Bahl to undergo season-ending surgery. Published November 8, 2026. nhl.com (external site)
  5. 5.Tampa Bay Lightning (Benjamin Pierce). The Backcheck: Late power-play goal ends Lightning point streak Sunday. Published November 9, 2026. nhl.com (external site)
  6. 6.Li Y, Su T, Hu Y, et al. Return to Sport After Anatomic Lateral Ankle Stabilization Surgery for Chronic Ankle Instability: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Am J Sports Med. 2024;52(2):555-566. PubMed 37252803 (external site)
  7. 7.O'Connor M, Minkara AA, Westermann RW, Rosneck J, Lynch TS. Return to Play After Hip Arthroscopy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Am J Sports Med. 2018;46(11):2780-2788. PubMed 29595996 (external site)
  8. 8.NBC Sports, Pro Football Talk (Charean Williams). 49ers DT Gracen Halton has season-ending broken ankle, Kyle Shanahan says. Published November 8, 2026. nbcsports.com (external site)
  9. 9.ESPN (Nick Wagoner). Mike Evans unable to finish 49ers’ win, exits with Achilles soreness. Published October 19, 2026. espn.com (external site)
  10. 10.The Associated Press via Fox Sports. Receiver Mike Evans will miss his 2nd straight game for the 49ers with Achilles tendinitis. Published November 6, 2026. foxsports.com (external site)
  11. 11.NBC Sports (Kyle Dvorchak). Garafolo: Evans “questionable at best” for Week 10. Published November 8, 2026. nbcsports.com (external site)
  12. 12.NBC Sports, Pro Football Talk (Mike Florio). Puka Nacua suffered knee injury on final offensive play of game. Published November 8, 2026. nbcsports.com (external site)
  13. 13.The Dallas Morning News (Joseph Hoyt) via Yahoo Sports. Cowboys injury updates: TE Jake Ferguson, CB P.J. Locke go down in win over Colts. Published November 9, 2026. sports.yahoo.com (external site)
  14. 14.The Associated Press via CBS Sports. Bears survive five turnovers, edge Buccaneers on walk-off field goal. Published November 9, 2026. cbssports.com (external site)
  15. 15.Deseret News and The Associated Press via Yahoo Sports. Utah Jazz lose 8th straight, Keyonte George injured in loss to Timberwolves. Published November 9, 2026. sports.yahoo.com (external site)
  16. 16.Roundtable Sports (Eric Rutter) via Yahoo Sports. Detroit Pistons vs. Los Angeles Lakers injury report: Duren out 2 more weeks. Published November 8, 2026. sports.yahoo.com (external site)
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  18. 18.NHL.com (Tom Gulitti). Staal “would like to try” to return for Hurricanes at Global Series. Published November 7, 2026. nhl.com (external site)
  19. 19.New York Islanders (Tyler Millen). Isles day-to-day: Barzal, Maccelli full participants at morning skate. Published November 7, 2026. nhl.com (external site)
  20. 20.Hayters (Dan Bennett). Iraola lauds Wirtz impact after “unlucky” start to season, and gives update on Szoboszlai. Published November 8, 2026. hayters.com (external site)
  21. 21.Empire of the Kop via Yahoo Sports. Iraola admits uncertainty over Liverpool player’s international involvement after injury scare. Published November 9, 2026. sports.yahoo.com (external site)
  22. 22.dave.sport (James Chettle). Granit Xhaka injury: Le Bris gives calf update after Chelsea win. Published November 8, 2026. dave.sport (external site)
  23. 23.Crónica Global, Culemanía (Gerard Boada). Alarma Lamine Yamal: se retira lesionado del Atlético-Barça y peligra para la concentración con la selección española. Published November 9, 2026. cronicaglobal.elespanol.com (external site)
  24. 24.Agence France-Presse via France 24. Veteran Neuer joins Bayern’s long injury list. Published November 8, 2026. france24.com (external site)
  25. 25.ESPN (Cesar Hernandez). Gio Reyna out of USMNT camp with injury; replaced by Stoke City’s Jack McGlynn. Published November 7, 2026. espn.com (external site)
  26. 26.Diário de Notícias (Cecília Carmo). Galatasaray confirma lesão de Rafael Leão, que vai mesmo falhar jogos da seleção. Published November 8, 2026. dn.pt (external site)
  27. 27.A Bola. Baixa de peso no Benfica: saiba o motivo. Published November 8, 2026. abola.pt (external site)
  28. 28.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Achilles Tendinitis. OrthoInfo. orthoinfo.org (external site)
  29. 29.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Ankle Fractures (Broken Ankle). OrthoInfo. orthoinfo.org (external site)
  30. 30.Robbins JB, Jupiter DC, Panchbhavi VK, Weiss WM, Hagedorn JC 2nd, Chen J. Return to Play Rates Following Operative Ankle Fractures Differ Between High- and Low-Performing National Football League Athletes. Orthopedics. 2024;47(1):22-27. PubMed 37216567 (external site)
  31. 31.Herzog MM, Mack CD, Dreyer NA, et al. Ankle Sprains in the National Basketball Association, 2013-2014 Through 2016-2017. Am J Sports Med. 2019;47(11):2651-2658. PubMed 31389712 (external site)
  32. 32.Johns W, Walley KC, Seedat R, Thordarson DB, Jackson B, Gonzalez T. Career Outlook and Performance of Professional Athletes After Achilles Tendon Rupture: A Systematic Review. Foot Ankle Int. 2021;42(4):495-509. PubMed 33218267 (external site)
  33. 33.Green B, Pizzari T. Calf muscle strain injuries in sport: a systematic review of risk factors for injury. Br J Sports Med. 2017;51(16):1189-1194. PubMed 28259848 (external site)
  34. 34.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Hamstring Muscle Injuries. OrthoInfo. orthoinfo.org (external site)
  35. 35.Ekstrand J, Bengtsson H, Waldén M, Davison M, Khan KM, Hägglund M. Hamstring injury rates have increased during recent seasons and now constitute 24% of all injuries in men's professional football: the UEFA Elite Club Injury Study from 2001/02 to 2021/22. Br J Sports Med. 2023;57(5):292-298. PubMed 36588400 (external site)
  36. 36.Hillier-Smith R, Paton B. Outcomes following surgical management of proximal hamstring tendon avulsions: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Bone Jt Open. 2022;3(5):415-422. PubMed 35549447 (external site)
  37. 37.Ekstrand J, Krutsch W, Spreco A, et al. Time before return to play for the most common injuries in professional football: a 16-year follow-up of the UEFA Elite Club Injury Study. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(7):421-426. PubMed 31182429 (external site)

This is general health information and isn’t a substitute for advice from a clinician who knows your history. Read our medical disclaimer and how we write and review content.

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