Green Bay Packers tight end Robert Tonyan exited in the third quarter of Thursday night's game against the Arizona Cardinals with a knee injury and did not return.
Following the game, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur didn't offer any detailed update, but LaFleur's somber tone did not present a hopeful outlook for Tonyan's status.
"Yeah, I don't want to speak to much on that right now. I'm sick for Bobby," LaFleur said. "He means so much to this team. It's so cool, and I just told him to watch a guy when you first hit your… see the amount of progress that he's made as a player and just the work that he puts in on a daily basis. It's really cool when you see that progress, when you see a guy reach their potential and I still think there's more out there for him, but as far as whether that's long-term, I don't know. But I am sick for him, I'm sick for us. My heart goes out to him."
On a second-and-6 play from the Packers' 46-yard line, Tonyan pulled in a 32-yard reception -- Green Bay's most explosive offensive play of the night -- and clutched his left knee after being tackled by Jalen Thompson.
Tonyan walked off the field under his own power and into the blue tent. After emerging from the blue tent, Tonyan walked to the locker room, but was badly limping and did not return in the Packers' 24-21 win on Thursday Night Football.
The loss of Tonyan was magnified by Green Bay's already depleted receiving corps. The injury left Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers even more short-handed for receiving options, as he was already without injured wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling and two more receivers on the reserve/COVID-19 list, Davante Adams and Allen Lazard.
It was Tonyan's third reception of the night.
Tonyan has 18 catches for 204 yards and two touchdowns on the season.
