EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed had movement in all his extremities after being carted off the field because of a neck injury early in Sunday's 20-17 overtime win over the New York Jets.
Coach Matt LaFleur said Reed will be hospitalized overnight and will not return home with the team.
It was one of several potentially serious injuries for the Packers, including one to right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele (right knee).
Both players were carted off the field on consecutive plays during the Packers' opening drive. Reed was placed on a backboard and had a strap over his helmet to stabilize his head and neck before he was placed on the cart. He was taken immediately to a local hospital.
Reed was injured on the Packers' second play from scrimmage when he took what appeared to be a hit in the head and neck area at the end of a 4-yard gain on a swing pass in the left flat. Jets linebacker Demario Davis was the initial defender to hit Reed, and Kingsley Enagbare also might have made contact with Reed after that.
Members of the medical staff from both teams attended to Reed for several minutes on the field before he was placed on a board and had his helmet strapped down for stabilization. Players from both teams took a knee while Reed was down.
After a delay of several minutes, Bako-Bewele suffered a right knee injury on the next play and was also carted off the field. His leg was immediately placed in a cast before he got on the cart.
"That was obviously a very scary deal," LaFleur said. "Anytime you see anybody down on the field and have to get carted off, and an update on Zach, that doesn't look good either. I think he could be out for a long time."
Shortly after the game, Reed posted a message on X, saying that he was, "Doing much better, appreciate all the prayers and support."
Though the team did not announce an update on Reed until LaFleur's postgame news conference, the players continued the game knowing he could move his arms and legs.
"I saw a little bit [of movement], and he was talking a little bit," Packers safety Evan Williams said.
That wasn't the end of the injuries for the Packers.
After Anthony Belton replaced Bako-Bewele and finished the game at right tackle, they lost two more offensive linemen -- left guard Aaron Banks because of a toe injury and then his replacement, Donovan Jennings, because of a hand injury. They were down to their last active offensive lineman, rookie Jager Burton, who finished the game at left guard. At one point, when right guard Jacob Monk was being checked for a stinger, the Packers' coaches began talking about having to use tight end Tucker Kraft on the offensive line.
Even quarterback Jordan Love appeared to be banged up. Several times during the second half he was shaking his right hand. He later said he got hit in the elbow and his throwing hand went numb.
In a penalty-filled game -- the Packers were called for 14 accepted infractions -- they came back from a 17-7 fourth-quarter deficit and won on rookie Trey Smack's 26-yard field goal with 5:23 left in overtime. The Packers (1-1) avoided their first 0-2 start since 2006 and became the first team since 1941 to win with fewer than 200 total yards (199), more than 100 penalty yards (133) and a negative turnover margin (minus-1), according to ESPN Research. Entering Sunday, teams were 0-44 in that situation.
"Man, it's a huge win," said Love, who completed 16 of 29 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns. "It's one of those games where you just got to keep fighting. Like you said, it wasn't pretty a lot of that game, and we've been in these situations before. We've lost these games. I think the mindset there, just keep fighting. That's what we did today. But obviously, a lot of stuff to clean up, wasn't pretty, but definitely a must-needed win, a great way to finish the game."
