NY Jets provide tragic update on the Breece Hall injury

Justin Fried

NY Jets, Breece Hall / Dustin Bradford/GettyImages

NY Jets running back Breece Hall left Sunday's 16-9 victory over the Denver Broncos early as he was carted off with a knee injury following a second-quarter run.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh indicated that the team feared the worst following the game, suggesting that the early indications were that Hall had suffered an ACL injury. On Monday, their worst fears were confirmed.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Hall did, in fact, suffer a torn ACL and that he also sustained a meniscus injury. That's a compound knee injury that will sideline Hall indefinitely.

Hall was in the midst of a phenomenal rookie season that saw him emerge as the runaway favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Now, he's set to miss the remainder of his rookie year and potentially more.

When could the NY Jets expect Breece Hall to return in 2023?

A second-round pick in this year's draft, Hall had rushed for 463 yards and four touchdowns on just 80 carries through 6.5 games, averaging an excellent 5.8 yards per carry. In many ways, Hall was the Jets' offense over these last few weeks.

There is no replacing Hall, even with a very capable complement in Michael Carter. Meanwhile, Hall faces a lengthy road to recovery and will eye a return in 2023.

Every player is different so it's impossible to provide a definitive rehab timetable, but Hall's injury is reminiscent of the one New York Giants star Saquon Barkley suffered two years ago.

Like Hall, Barkley also suffered a meniscus injury along with a torn ACL. He was able to return in time for Week 1, although his injury did occur in Week 2 of the prior year, not Week 7.

On top of that, Barkley didn't really look like his old self in his first year back, due in part to a bad Giants offense and an ankle injury he suffered. Still, it's fair to predict a similar recovery timetable for Hall.

It might not be wise to expect Hall to be ready in time for Week 1 next season. Again, every person recovers differently, but a nine-month turnaround for a torn ACL and meniscus injury is on the optimistic side of the spectrum given prior history.

This is a tragic, heartbreaking development for a young player who seemed to be on the verge of stardom. It's a loss for both the Jets and the greater football world.

Here's wishing the best to Breece Hall as we hope for a speedy recovery.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.