Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson returned in the third quarter for Thursday Night Football’s Week 8 game against the Carolina Panthers after leaving the first half with a chest injury. Watson was taken to a hospital near Lambeau Field for reserve tests and returned to the stadium shortly after halftime. The team initially listed him as questionable to play, and after he was cleared, he rejoined the contest.
Watson returned to Lambeau Field in an ambulance and rushed to the locker room, where he prepared for about three minutes to return to action. He walked to the sideline with extra padding around his ribs and pointed to the lower right side of his chest when teammates asked about the injury, according to Prime Video’s Kaylee Hartung.
“It was tough,” Watson said during the postgame show. “I never wanted to go. I was hoping they’d let me go. I said I felt better when I was breathing. They said there were a couple of signs that made me want to go there. That’s it. I was just praying it would be good enough to come back here. Thankfully, it happened and I was able to get back on the field. I’m trying to be on the football field first.”
Watson said he was spitting up blood after the injury, which prompted Packers medical personnel to take him to the hospital. Tests ruled out internal bleeding, opening the door for him to play. He said he watched the game from his hospital room and watched the play-by-play while he waited for his test results.
The injury occurred on the biggest play of the first half: a 53-yard reception that set up the Packers’ second touchdown of the night. Watson collided with Panthers cornerback Will Lee III, who was also injured on the play. Carolina questioned Lee’s return with his injury.
Watson was in the midst of a great performance when he left the competition. He led all receivers with six catches for 100 yards in the first half. His ability to break away from a vicious Panthers defense was instrumental in quarterback Jordan Love completing 17 of his first 20 passes on the night.
The Packers threw a pass in Watson’s direction in his first game back from the hospital, and he added a pair of receptions in the fourth quarter, though he didn’t make a catch. The second of those two holds nearly iced the game as it converted a third down and allowed the Packers to waste valuable time and limit the Panthers to mere seconds on their final possession.
Matthew Golden has stepped up as the No. 1 option in Green Bay’s receiving unit in Watson’s absence. He caught a touchdown pass on the Packers’ first possession without Watson, redeeming himself for dropping a likely scoring pass on the previous play. Tucker Kraft also played an increased role downfield and was responsible for the Packers’ first touchdown on Thursday.
Unfortunately, injuries have been a defining element of Watson’s NFL career. He also has an extensive history with a chest injury, three hamstring strains, an ankle sprain, three knee bruises and an ACL tear. He also suffered a concussion in his rookie season in 2022. In all, Watson missed 20 games and has yet to play a full season in five years in the league.