The Cincinnati Bengals suffered two losses Thursday night in Miami—being defeated by the Dolphins and losing superstar defensive tackle Geno Atkins, who tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the season.
Coach Marvin Lewis initially told reporters Thursday night that Atkins suffered an “ACL injury,” but officially announced the injury on Friday, after the results of an MRI conducted in Cincinnati confirmed suspicions of the Bengals coaches and trainers.
The defensive lineman injured his knee in the second quarter of Thursday night’s 22-20 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins. During a play, Atkins’ knee was bent underneath a pile of players and he remained on the ground for a bit until he stood up, limped to the sideline, and was carted to the locker room for an evaluation.
Atkins is the Bengals’ top defensive lineman, recording six sacks this season. He recently signed a deal at the start of the season that will pay him $55 million for five years.