A league source told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora on Monday night that New York Jets defensive tackle Kris Jenkins will undergo a magnetic-resonance imaging scan on his left knee Tuesday at 9 a.m. ET. He injured his knee in the first quarter of Monday night's season-opening 10-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Jets doctors are optimistic that Jenkins did not suffer a torn anterior cruciate ligament, the source said, but the damage won't be known until after the MRI.
Jenkins, whose season ended prematurely last year when he tore his left ACL, was caught in a pileup while trying to tackle Ravens running back Le'Ron McClain and immediately clutched his left knee. He remained on the turf for a few minutes, then got up and limped to the sideline. He did not return.
"I have no idea what the extent of the injury is," coach Rex Ryan said after the game. "I'm hopeful that it's not serious, but clearly it was serious enough for him to not return to the game. We're definitely hoping that he's going to be OK.
"Hopefully, we'll hear some good news (Tuesday)."
The 10-year veteran tore his knee ligament midway through last year and worked hard to get back on the field in the offseason. Monday night's game against Baltimore was his first in the regular season since that injury.
"Obviously, we're alarmed by it, disappointed," linebacker Jason Taylor said. "We don't know the nature of it. This team is a very close team, and anytime a player goes down, you feel for him, but you realize you need to move on and the next person needs to step up. Those are big shoes to fill."
Sione Pouha stepped in and was solid after Jenkins was hurt against Buffalo last October, but Ryan was excited about having Jenkins back to anchor his defensive line.
The big nose tackle used the time rehabilitating to examine his priorities and even contemplated retirement. But he rediscovered his love for football and won a weight-loss competition among himself, Ryan and right tackle Damien Woody. He was eased back into the lineup in the preseason and said he felt 100 percent entering the regular season.
Jenkins, who's in his third season with the Jets, tore the ACL in his right knee in 2005 while with Carolina.
The Associated Press contributed to this report