Justin Jefferson’s ankle sprain: why some sprains cost days and others weeks

Justin Jefferson’s “day to day” week raises the questions every athlete with a sprain asks: how bad is it, and when can I play? Here’s what was reported, and what a Foot and Ankle Surgeon looks for.

A note first: we have no connection with these athletes or teams and haven’t examined them. Details about them come from public reports as of October 3, 2026.

What was reported about Justin Jefferson

Jefferson was hurt on the Vikings’ opening drive at Tampa Bay on Sunday, September 27.^[1] The Associated Press reported that a defender appeared to fall onto his ankle.^[7] He walked off on his own, spent time in the sideline medical tent and didn’t return.^[8]

An MRI the next day confirmed an ankle sprain, ESPN reported. “He avoided anything long term,” O’Connell said.^[1] On Wednesday, O’Connell said it was not a high ankle sprain and called Jefferson “day to day.”^[2,9]

Jefferson didn’t practice that week. On Friday the team ruled him out against Miami; he had played 39 straight games. O’Connell said “the goal is try to get him back out there practicing next week.”^[3]

Low ankle sprain or high ankle sprain?

The common sprain is a lateral, or “low,” sprain: the foot rolls inward and injures ligaments on the outside of the ankle.^[10] A high ankle sprain injures the ligaments connecting the two leg bones, the tibia and fibula, just above the ankle.^[11,12] It usually comes from the foot twisting outward or bending sharply upward, often in football, soccer and other turf sports.^[12]

In NCAA data from 25 sports, lateral sprains outnumbered high ankle sprains about five to one.^[4,5] After 44% of lateral sprains, the athlete was back within 24 hours; fewer than 4% missed more than three weeks.^[4] Of high ankle sprains, 47% cost at least a week and 16% more than three weeks. Most came from player contact.^[5]

One review found that elite athletes almost always return: on average after about four weeks without surgery and seven with it.^[13] Experts advise treating stable injuries in a cast or brace and unstable ones with surgery.^[14]

Other injuries in the news, other lessons

A.J. Brown, Patriots. Hurt in the September 9 opener, Brown had no fracture on X-ray; an MRI confirmed a high ankle sprain, and he went on injured reserve for at least four games, ESPN reported.^[15] The lesson: high ankle sprains often take weeks.

Kelvin Banks Jr., Saints. Testing after his September 20 injury showed a high ankle sprain severe enough that he was expected to have surgery, with any return likely late in the season, ProFootballTalk reported.^[16] The lesson: severity, not the label, sets the timeline.

Franz Wagner, Magic. ESPN reported in December 2025 that Wagner had a high ankle sprain, which typically takes two to four weeks.^[17] He missed 16 games, played two in January, then sat out again. In February the Magic said he was out indefinitely with ongoing soreness.^[18] The lesson: early timelines are estimates.

How return to play is decided

A panel of 155 health professionals from elite field and court sports agreed on what to check before return after a lateral ankle sprain:^[6]

• Pain during sport and over the last 24 hours
• Ankle motion, strength and power
• Confidence in the ankle
• Balance and position sense
• Sport skills: hopping, jumping, agility drills and a full practice

Rehab shouldn’t stop when the pain does. In a trial of 522 athletes with a recent sprain, an eight-week home balance program cut repeat sprains from 33% to 22% over a year.^[19] Bracing also helps prevent another sprain.^[20]

What it means for your ankle

Whether you’re a high school athlete or a weekend warrior, Dr. Efe Ozturk, a Foot and Ankle Surgeon and podiatrist, and our sports medicine team start with the same steps:

• Is it broken? Simple bedside checks decide who needs an X-ray. See sprain or fracture?
• Which ligaments? Stress tests, including the squeeze test, help pick out a high ankle sprain.^[12]
• Imaging. We have X-ray and ultrasound at the practice; MRI may be ordered for signs of a high ankle sprain.^[11]
• A second look. An exam 4 to 5 days after the injury judges ligament damage most reliably.^[21]

For a common sprain, evidence supports early movement and structured exercise.^[20,21] See sprained ankle recovery and ankle sprains.

Common questions

Can I tell a high ankle sprain on my own?

Not reliably. Tenderness at the front of the ankle just above the joint and pain when the foot turns outward are clues, but these injuries are frequently misdiagnosed. An exam matters.^[14,12]

Should I play through a sprain?

Not before the return-to-play checks above; returning too early may be one reason sprains recur, experts suggest.^[6] The most common risk factor for a sprain is a previous one.^[10] An ankle that keeps rolling may be chronic ankle instability; our Center for Lower Extremity Surgery (external site) explains surgical options.

When to see a podiatrist