Tom Kennedy’s 2026 season is almost certainly over for the Detroit Lions, a brutal gut punch for their special teams unit. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo dropped the news that Kennedy is looking at surgery to fix a significant MCL injury he picked up in Week 5.
One Awkward Tackle, One Lost Season
The whole thing went down in the first half of the Lions’ game against the Arizona Cardinals. Kennedy was doing his thing, returning a punt, when he got awkwardly tackled. His right knee got pinned underneath a Cardinals player, and you just knew it wasn’t good. He was initially listed as questionable to return, but after halftime, that changed to “out.” Even then, Lions coach Dan Campbell was trying to stay positive, saying the early tests “didn’t look good, as far as anything short-term,” but hoping it was “a sprain somewhere in there,a pretty good sprain.” Man, you gotta feel for him. Those follow-up tests on Monday morning confirmed the worst, leading to Garafolo’s report that surgery is needed and his season is done.
Who Steps Up for Detroit’s Special Teams?
This is a huge hole for Detroit. Kennedy was their main guy for both punt and kick returns, and right now, there isn’t a clear answer for who takes over. Starting wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown had to step in for emergency punt return duties, but let’s be real, the Lions won’t want their star receiver taking that kind of extra punishment. They’re definitely gonna need another option there.
On kick returns, cornerback Khalil Dorsey was the emergency guy lining up opposite Jacob Saylors. Dorsey’s got the speed and experience, so he might be the one to keep that role. But for punt returns? Dorsey doesn’t have any NFL experience there, so he’s probably not in the running. With a bye week coming up, the Lions actually have a little breathing room. They can take their time figuring out who to put on injured reserve and who to bring in to fill those crucial return spots. What a mess, right?
Detroit needs to figure this out fast, especially with those special teams roles being so critical. Here’s hoping they find a solid replacement soon.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
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